Naked hires ex-Fox TV Studios UK chief

Simon Andreae’s production company, Naked Entertainment, has appointed former Fox Television Studios UK managing director Susie Dark as its first COO.

Dark will oversee all financial, legal and operational aspects of Simon Andreae’s indie, which is one of a batch that FremantleMedia invested in last year.

The company claims to have “several series commissions in the pipeline”, as well as the announced 20x30mins 5Star series 100% Hotter.

Dark is known for her time at Fox, between 2005 and 2007. Naked CEO Andreae was executive VP of alternative entertainment at the Fox US broadcast network before launching Naked.

Dark has also held roles as Endemol Shine Group predecessor Endemol, Mentorn Media and indies such as Outline Productions and Summer Films. She is also the founding producer of the British Comedy Awards, which she ran for five years.

Andreae said Dark would “ensure that we have the firmest foundations as we continue to build our brand”.

The pair worked together while Dark was heading Fox’s UK production efforts and Andreae was president of Fox-backed producer The Incubator.

Andreae, considered by many as one of the most inventive format creators in the business, established Naked after exiting Fox following a rocky period. Before that, he had agreed to launch a Sony Pictures Television-backed prodco, worked at Discovery Channel in a senior VP post and Channel 4 as head of science and education, and co-founded The Incubator and Optomen Television.

Dark said Andreae’s “knack for turning provocative ideas into popular hits makes Naked a hugely exciting place to work and I look forward to helping expand the company with this philosophy in mind”.