Sesame Workshop CEO steps down, as ‘Sesame Street’ Max deal nears end

Sesame Street (Source: Sesame Workshop)

Steve Youngwood is stepping down as CEO and board member of Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organisation behind iconic kids show Sesame Street.

Company president Sherrie Westin will serve as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found, with the board engaging the services of an executive search firm to find a successor. Youngwood will meanwhile remain available to act in an informal advisory role to help ensure a smooth transition.

His exit comes at a critical time for Sesame Workshop with the next season of Sesame Street – the show’s 55th – being the last under its current five-year rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. It is yet to be confirmed whether the deal with streaming service Max will be renewed or if Sesame Street, which is one of the longest running shows in the world, will be seeking a new home.

Youngwood said last year that the show would need to evolve going forwards in order to appeal to modern audiences in the streaming era. The 56th season, launching in 2025, is to move away from its current magazine-style format in favour of a more narrative-driven approach to its episodes.

Gabrielle Sulzberger, chair of the Sesame Workshop board of trustees, commented, “Under Steve’s leadership, Sesame Workshop has expanded its reach and impact globally, and is well positioned for ongoing success.”

Westin is a 25-year Sesame Workshop veteran and in her role as president has led the organisation’s efforts to serve vulnerable children through mass media and targeted initiatives in the US and around the world.

She said: “We are fortunate to have an incredibly deep bench of purpose-driven individuals, and I look forward to working closely with the entire team as we advance the important work underway to meet the needs of young children in an evolving media and education landscape.

“We will continue investing in our best-in-class programming and launching new resources to provide access to quality early learning to children around the globe.”

Last week, Sesame Workshop partnered with Moonbug for a crossover between its Blippi franchise and Sesame Street, with characters Big Bird, Elmo and Abby, along with Herb the Dinosaur featuring in ‘Blippi-verse’ episodes and music videos on the Blippi and Sesame Street YouTube channels.