Featherstone, Conrad exit Shine

Prolific drama producer Jane Featherstone is leaving Shine Group as its merges with Endemol and Core Media.

Henrietta Conrad is also exiting Kudos stablemate Princess Productions. Shine is now operating as Endemol Shine Group following regulatory clearance granted at the back end of last year.

Featherstone (pictured) is credited with successful dramas such as Broadchurch, which last week debuted its second season, UK-France coproduction The Tunnel and BBC spy series Spooks. She joined Kudos in 2000 as head of drama and leaves as CEO.

“It was always going to be incredibly tough for me to leave at any time, but if I’m ever going to, now is the time to do so,” said Featherstone. “I’ve been considering taking a break away from work and with entering a new phase as part of the new joint venture between Shine and Endemol now feels like the right time for me to go. I plan, and look forwards to, taking a proper break once my latest slate of shows is complete.”

“Jane has built Kudos into one of the most prolific and admired production companies in our industry,” said Tim Hincks, president, Endemol Shine.

Conrad, meanwhile, also leaves Endemol Shine. She was founder for factual entertainment and daytime specialist Princess 18 years ago, but stepped back from the CEO role more than a year ago. Emmy Hardy and Conor Bailey were later named co-managing directors of the prodco on a permanent basis.

The news comes soon after Endemol Shine announced the shape of its top level management team in December. Cathy Payne, Gary Carter and Martha Brass were among those landing big roles under Hincks and CEO Sophie Turner Laing.