The Only Way is Essex producer Lime Pictures has snapped up one of the highest-profile execs to have left Paramount Global’s UK unscripted arm following its closure.
Joe McLusky, who was Viacom International Studios’ (Vis) Vice President and General Manager, Non-Scripted, has become Lime’s Director of Production Unscripted, replacing now-Monkey MD Helen Kruger Bratt. He will oversee all UK unscripted production across Lime Pictures and its All3Media stablemates Lion Television and Wise Owl Films.
McLusky is an experienced exec who has previously worked for Lime along with ITV Studios, Shine and Granada. At Vis, he oversaw a team making hundreds of hours of shows per year, mostly for Paramount network Channel 5 and MTV, including the likes of Cruising with Jane McDonald and Catfish UK. That team was closed earlier this year amidst Paramount Global layoffs, leading to around 20 redundancies, with other high-profile exits including Oliver Wright, who...
Joe McLusky, who was Viacom International Studios’ (Vis) Vice President and General Manager, Non-Scripted, has become Lime’s Director of Production Unscripted, replacing now-Monkey MD Helen Kruger Bratt. He will oversee all UK unscripted production across Lime Pictures and its All3Media stablemates Lion Television and Wise Owl Films.
McLusky is an experienced exec who has previously worked for Lime along with ITV Studios, Shine and Granada. At Vis, he oversaw a team making hundreds of hours of shows per year, mostly for Paramount network Channel 5 and MTV, including the likes of Cruising with Jane McDonald and Catfish UK. That team was closed earlier this year amidst Paramount Global layoffs, leading to around 20 redundancies, with other high-profile exits including Oliver Wright, who...
- 6/27/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Viacom International Studios’ (Vis) former talent boss has landed the top talent job at Married at First Sight UK producer Cpl Productions.
Simon Shearer-Wright moved to Cpl last month to take on the Head of Talent and Hr role. Reporting to CEO Danielle Lux, he is overseeing the Red Arrow Studios-backed producer’s strategy for sourcing, growing and retaining talent both within the company and on specific productions.
Cpl is best known for producing E4 smash Married at First Sight UK and makes a wealth of UK unscripted shows including A League of Their Own and Rob & Romesh Vs., along with dabbling in scripted with the likes of BBC comedy Ellie & Natasia.
“The TV industry thrives on talent, both in front of and behind the camera,” said Lux. “At Cpl we believe nurturing and developing all our staff and creating a culture where they’re empowered...
Simon Shearer-Wright moved to Cpl last month to take on the Head of Talent and Hr role. Reporting to CEO Danielle Lux, he is overseeing the Red Arrow Studios-backed producer’s strategy for sourcing, growing and retaining talent both within the company and on specific productions.
Cpl is best known for producing E4 smash Married at First Sight UK and makes a wealth of UK unscripted shows including A League of Their Own and Rob & Romesh Vs., along with dabbling in scripted with the likes of BBC comedy Ellie & Natasia.
“The TV industry thrives on talent, both in front of and behind the camera,” said Lux. “At Cpl we believe nurturing and developing all our staff and creating a culture where they’re empowered...
- 6/1/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Channel 5 is on the brink of finding a new producer for its next Jane McDonald and Susan Calman shows. This follows owner Paramount Global’s decision to close the Viacom International Studios (Vis) UK unscripted division, revealed by Deadline last month.
Deadline understands that Daisybeck Studios, which makes some of Channel 5’s biggest hits including The Yorkshire Vet and Our Yorkshire Farm, is extremely close to taking on the work with two of the channel’s highest-profile presenters. Based in Leeds, eOne-owned Daisybeck is a trusted Channel 5 supplier that has made hundreds of hours of shows for the channel including many that focus on the outfit’s native Yorkshire.
The move comes as Paramount begins the process of apportioning dozens of hours of Vis’s factual programing to the UK indie sector.
McDonald’s next project is unknown but will likely be within her travelog wheelhouse. She...
Deadline understands that Daisybeck Studios, which makes some of Channel 5’s biggest hits including The Yorkshire Vet and Our Yorkshire Farm, is extremely close to taking on the work with two of the channel’s highest-profile presenters. Based in Leeds, eOne-owned Daisybeck is a trusted Channel 5 supplier that has made hundreds of hours of shows for the channel including many that focus on the outfit’s native Yorkshire.
The move comes as Paramount begins the process of apportioning dozens of hours of Vis’s factual programing to the UK indie sector.
McDonald’s next project is unknown but will likely be within her travelog wheelhouse. She...
- 3/29/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Sean “Diddy” Combs Says “It’s Time For BET To Be Black-Owned Again” As Paramount Explores Stake Sale
Sean “Diddy” Combs on Wednesday bolstered recent media reports that he is kicking the tires of BET Networks, which is in the early stages of being shopped by parent Paramount Global.
Combs would join other interested parties in a stake sale of Paramount assets joining fellow moguls Tyler Perry and Byron Allen, who both have also thrown their hat in the ring.
Related Story Byron Allen & Tyler Perry Eyeing BET As Paramount Explores Sale Of Majority Stake – Update Related Story All3Media's Objective Media Group Sets Up Label With Viacom International Studios UK Exec Oliver Wright Related Story Paramount CEO Bob Bakish Says Keeping Showtime "More Value-Creating" Than Agreeing To $3B Sale, Touts "Insane" 'Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning'
“It’s time for @BET to be Black-owned again so we have the power to tell our own stories, control our own narrative!
Combs would join other interested parties in a stake sale of Paramount assets joining fellow moguls Tyler Perry and Byron Allen, who both have also thrown their hat in the ring.
Related Story Byron Allen & Tyler Perry Eyeing BET As Paramount Explores Sale Of Majority Stake – Update Related Story All3Media's Objective Media Group Sets Up Label With Viacom International Studios UK Exec Oliver Wright Related Story Paramount CEO Bob Bakish Says Keeping Showtime "More Value-Creating" Than Agreeing To $3B Sale, Touts "Insane" 'Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning'
“It’s time for @BET to be Black-owned again so we have the power to tell our own stories, control our own narrative!
- 3/16/2023
- by Dade Hayes and Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: All3Media’s Objective Media Group (Omg) has expanded by launching an unscripted label with Viacom International Studios exec Oliver Wright.
We’ve learned Wright’s currently unnamed production house will focus on developing and producing factual series and documentaries.
The company launches with a slate such as Channel 5’s upcoming space doc series Tim Peake: Secrets of Our Universe — the Paramount-owned network’s latest attempt to push into high-end factual with well-known talent.
It’ll sit within Omg, which also houses 141 Productions, Betty, Canard, Objective Fiction, Omg Scotland, Purple, Tannadice Pictures, Triple Brew Media and L.A.-based Omg America.
Wright was among the staff whose roles were impacted by Paramount Global’s decision to close the unscripted wing of Viacom International Studios (Vis) UK. That came as it switched international production focus to high-end scripted, as we exclusively revealed last month.
“I am thrilled to be setting...
We’ve learned Wright’s currently unnamed production house will focus on developing and producing factual series and documentaries.
The company launches with a slate such as Channel 5’s upcoming space doc series Tim Peake: Secrets of Our Universe — the Paramount-owned network’s latest attempt to push into high-end factual with well-known talent.
It’ll sit within Omg, which also houses 141 Productions, Betty, Canard, Objective Fiction, Omg Scotland, Purple, Tannadice Pictures, Triple Brew Media and L.A.-based Omg America.
Wright was among the staff whose roles were impacted by Paramount Global’s decision to close the unscripted wing of Viacom International Studios (Vis) UK. That came as it switched international production focus to high-end scripted, as we exclusively revealed last month.
“I am thrilled to be setting...
- 3/13/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Paramount Global is shuttering the UK unscripted division of its international production arm, which makes the likes of Catfish UK and True Life Crime.
We hear around 20 roles will be impacted at Viacom International Studios (Vis) UK, and that March 31 has been earmarked as the date for closure. Paramount declined to comment.
Related Story Paramount Global Shares Dip As Q4 Ad Sales Fall, Streaming Costs Rise; Paramount+ Adds 9.9 Million Subs; Film Bright On ‘Smile’ Related Story Paramount+ To Boost Prices After Showtime Merge, Paramount Global Will Take Up To 1.5 Billion Q1 Content Charge Related Story Les Moonves Lies, Shari Pushes, Philippe Dauman Falls, Sumner Steals His Grandson's Girlfriend And Other Tales In New Book On The Redstones
The news comes as Paramount is shifting its international production focus to high-end scripted. As such, several UK-based Paramount TV studio execs working shows such as Paramount+’s big budget Sexy Beast...
We hear around 20 roles will be impacted at Viacom International Studios (Vis) UK, and that March 31 has been earmarked as the date for closure. Paramount declined to comment.
Related Story Paramount Global Shares Dip As Q4 Ad Sales Fall, Streaming Costs Rise; Paramount+ Adds 9.9 Million Subs; Film Bright On ‘Smile’ Related Story Paramount+ To Boost Prices After Showtime Merge, Paramount Global Will Take Up To 1.5 Billion Q1 Content Charge Related Story Les Moonves Lies, Shari Pushes, Philippe Dauman Falls, Sumner Steals His Grandson's Girlfriend And Other Tales In New Book On The Redstones
The news comes as Paramount is shifting its international production focus to high-end scripted. As such, several UK-based Paramount TV studio execs working shows such as Paramount+’s big budget Sexy Beast...
- 2/16/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Ploughing similar territory to Michael Keaton’s The Founder, Viacom’s Channel 5 is to tell the history of McDonald’s in a one-off special.
The UK broadcaster has commissioned McDonalds: The Billion Dollar Burger (w/t) from its own in-house production division Elephant House Studios.
The doc will tell the story of how the original McDonald brothers Richard and Maurice set up a drive-in hamburger restaurant near Pasadena, California in 1940.
By 1948, they realized the restaurant would be more profitable if they increased efficiency by streamlining the menu and preparing food ahead of busy moments including using lamps to keep the fries warm.
Unlike in The Founder, which was distributed by The Weinstein Company and made $24M worldwide, which showed Keaton’s Ray Kroc giving the pair the idea to franchise McDonalds, in truth, they had already franchised a number of restaurants before they met the milkshake salesman. Kroc...
The UK broadcaster has commissioned McDonalds: The Billion Dollar Burger (w/t) from its own in-house production division Elephant House Studios.
The doc will tell the story of how the original McDonald brothers Richard and Maurice set up a drive-in hamburger restaurant near Pasadena, California in 1940.
By 1948, they realized the restaurant would be more profitable if they increased efficiency by streamlining the menu and preparing food ahead of busy moments including using lamps to keep the fries warm.
Unlike in The Founder, which was distributed by The Weinstein Company and made $24M worldwide, which showed Keaton’s Ray Kroc giving the pair the idea to franchise McDonalds, in truth, they had already franchised a number of restaurants before they met the milkshake salesman. Kroc...
- 5/10/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.