Exclusive: Sony’s format boss in talks to set up own prodco

Victoria Ashbourne, Sony Pictures Television’s senior VP, formats, is in early stage talks with Sony about setting up her own Sony-backed production company, TBIvision has learned.

UK-based Ashbourne is understood to be hoping to set up her own production company and has started discussions with Sony, which is expected to back the new entity.

She is currently executive producing Exit List. Sony owned Gogglebox is currently making a non-TX pilot of the entertainment show for UK free-to-air broadcaster ITV.

SPT has a ready-made replacement for Ashbourne having poached Sarah Edwards from the BBC last month. She was head of format development at the UK public broadcaster.

Ashbourne joined SPT last year from CPL, the UK indie that was created after the sale of Celador to 2waytraffic, which is now also part of SPT. In her current role she reports to SPT’s chief creative officer Mike Morley and is tasked with creating new formats and mining the Sony catalogue. While at CPL, she oversaw the updated version of classic Mr & Mrs format.

TBIvision contacted SPT, but a spokesperson declined to comment.