- Two of Britain's best known 'institutions' - Woolies and the Beeb - have teamed up to form a joint venture.

BBC Worldwide Ltd, the BBC's consumer commercial arm, and Woolworths Group plc plan to work together "in video and music publishing and TV/video production." they say.

2 entertain Limited will, "combine the current video and music publishing and TV/video production businesses of the Woolworths Group subsidiary, VCI plc, with the video publishing business of BBC Worldwide, say the Beeb and Woolies in a statement.

"BBC Worldwide is to retain video publishing rights in Music, Educational and Children's programming. A UK sales and distribution arrangement for BBC Children's video titles has been agreed with the new venture."

Completion of the deal is conditional on regulatory and financing clearances.