ITVS-backed MultiStory Media expands entertainment team

L-R: Jon Cahn, Simone Haywood, Ana de Moraes & Zinia Scroggs

ITV Studios-backed MultiStory Media has promoted Simone Haywood to creative director of MultiStory London in an expansion to its entertainment team.

Haywood joined MultiStory Media four years ago as head of factual entertainment, and during that time has worked on shows including Scared Of The Dark for Channel 4, BBC Three’s Project Icon (co-produced with ITV America) and Big Flower Fight for Netflix, as well as overseeing Come Dine With Me for Channel 4, including the launch of new spin-off Come Dine With Me: The Professionals.

Reporting into CCO Ana de Moraes, Haywood will now work to build on the label’s output alongside Ceri Aston, creative director of MultiStory North.

The company has also added Jon Cahn to the entertainment team as executive producer, whose credits include Scared of the Dark, as well as Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, Married at First Sight, Sink or Swim and The Bridge. 

In addition, Zinia Scroggs is joining as series editor. Scroggs is currently working on Project Icon, the upcoming music competition series for BBC Three, and previously series produced BBC Three’s Glow Up, while her other credits include The Apprentice, Race Across the World and First Dates Hotel.

Cahn and Scroggs will both report to Haywood.

MultiStory that the new appointments are part of a “strategic refocus”, with the label’s slate now falling into two broad genres: entertainment, with shows such as Scared of the Dark, Project Icon and Dubai Hustle, and factual, including Paul O’ Grady’s For The Love of Dogs, The Martin Lewis Money Show and Peston.

The appointments also follow the launch of the label’s new documentary unit, led by head of documentaries and current affairs, Mike Blair, which secured its first ITVX commission Waco: A British Tragedy, and factual titles The Real Nolly and The Real Stonehouse to accompany the ITV dramas.

Ana de Moraes said that Haywood is “fearless about breaking new ground and grabbing big ideas by the horns, which is why she has been instrumental in developing, pitching and producing some of MultiStory’s most exciting series.”

She added that Cahn and Scroggs are “rising stars whose talents are incredible additions to our team.”