Endemol Shine prodcos make dev team changes

Endemol Shine North America-owned True Entertainment and Original Media have added senior VPs to theirs ranks, with True also closing a new overall development deal with its former executive VP.

Tony Biancosino (pictured) has bee named SVP, development at Swamp People producer Original, while Hazel Steward becomes SVP, East Coast development at True, which is behind The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Steward will co-head development with West Coast counterpart Bryan Hale, who joined the company just over a year ago.

Honig, who as recently as last January was True’s development EVP, has now inked a deal with the producer through her production company, Omelette Bar Productions. She first joined True in 2007 before exiting to become a showrunner, and rejoined in 2013.

Biancosino has executive produced programmes such as It’s All Relative with Leah Reimini for TLC and Town of the Living Dead for Syfy, while Steward began her career at Sky in the UK, before going on to work with The Gurin Company, StyleHaul and social media hub Starclub.

Biancosino, Steward and Hale report to Glenda Hersh and Steve Weinstock, who became co-presidents of Original and True in a restructure in March last year. They had been presidents of True, but added Original after CEO Daniel Laikind exited.

Various executives have since been moved to new roles or added to the ranks as part of a senior level restructure that followed the leadership change.

“Under the creative leadership of Tony, and Hazel and Bryan, we’re confident our companies will continue to provide audiences with compelling, surprising and high-quality content,” said Hersh and Weinstock in a statement.

“Concurrently, we’re delighted to see Jo transition into a new role as an independent producer and look forward to working with her on her unique brand of fun and edgy programming.”

ESNA co-chairmen and co-CEOs Cris Abrego and Charlie Corwin recently added control of Latin America to their duties last month.