Spotts takes Bravo role as Cohen launches prodco

Lara Spotts will become US cable channel Bravo’s head of development with current incumbent Andy Cohen exiting to launch his own production company.

Cohen, executive VP of development and talent and also a late night talk show host often referred to as the ‘face’ of Bravo, has launched prodco Most Talkative.

This means VP, development, Lara Spotts will now will now lead Bravo’s scripted and non-scripted efforts on the West and East Coasts. She will report to Bravo Media and Oxygen Media president Francis Berwick.

Cohen has been handed a “multi-tiered”, multi-year first-look development deal with Bravo that includes a two-year renewal on his Watch What Happens Live talkshow series and an executive producer role at the Real Housewives franchise.

He first joined Bravo in 2004 as VP, original programming and development and gained a series of promotions after launching Watch What Happens Live and Real Housewives, which he will return to occasionally to host reunions and specials.

“In my 23 years as a television producer, my time at Bravo has been the most rewarding and this next phase of my career is the perfect marriage of everything I love doing – producing and broadcasting,” said Cohen.

“Andy has influenced the course and the shape of Bravo tremendously over the past 10 years as a production and development executive, and as creator and host of our flagship late night show, becoming the face of the network,” said Berwick.

“He has created legions of cultural-touchstone programmes and left an indelible imprint on the network. We are excited to retain him as a creative force.”

New Bravo development boss Spotts has worked for VH1, MTV, Logo, Showtime, Disney Channel and ABC and created and exec produced her own documentary for Logo, Raising Teens. She was also a staff writer on Showtime drama The L World and created Totally Hoops for Disney Channel.

The changes are the latest developments at NBCU Cable Entertainment, which earlier this month handed control of Syfy to USA Network executive VP Bill McGoldrick and axed Mark Stern as a result. Jackie de Crinis replaced McGoldrick at USA.