Big Brother prodco Initial has appointed Fulwell 73’s director of development to a newly created development role. Caroline Roseman becomes of creative director of development for the Banijay-owned company, reporting into MD Katy Manley. Roseman will oversee Initial’s development team, generating and pitching entertainment and reality ideas for the UK and international clients, working with […]
As the global demand for high quality documentaries and factual formats continues to rise, Mark Layton looks back on some of the week’s developments that point to a booming unscripted sector With crew shortages and rising production costs currently plaguing the scripted sector, those working on the unscripted side of the business are finding plenty […]
Cat Lynch, the co-MD of Banijay UK factual label Initial, is joining Amazon Studios as UK unscripted executive. Lynch will move to the company early next year and will work alongside Amazon’s head of UK originals, Dan Grabiner, and Fozia Khan, who heads up the UK unscripted team across documentaries, fact-ent and entertainment. Lynch has […]
UK comcaster ITV has ordered a revival of reality format Big Brother, with a new series ordered to launch on ITV2 and upcoming streamer ITVX in 2023. Produced by Banijay UK-owned Initial, the returning series will follow a new cast of carefully selected contestants, from all walks of life, as they take up residence in […]
Fremantle Finland appoints new CEO Jarkko Luoma has been appointed as the new CEO for Fremantle Finland, following the exit of Joonas Hytönen. Hytönen has decided to step down and the change of management was made effective on 1 April 2022. Luoma is promoted into the role from the position of head of development & […]
Banijay has acquired Natalka Znak’s production company ZnakTV and appointed its founder to become CEO of UK firms Remarkable Entertainment and Initial. Znak will continue to run ZnakTV in the US alongside overseeing the two UK-based companies, which are behind shows including Pointless, Starstruck, The Wall, Soccer Aid, Tenable and Big Brother. Banijay said Znak would […]
Banijay UK has appointed Initial exec Sandra Smith to the newly created role of director of production, with a focus on unscripted content. Reporting to CFO Derek O’Gara and director of HR and operations, Bella Lambourne, Smith will join the senior management team for the UK group, and work alongside label directors of production and […]
Channel 5 has cancelled Big Brother after eight years on the Viacom-owned broadcaster. The channel has confirmed that series 19, which launched on C5 on Friday (14 September), will be the final run for the Initial-produced programme. A finale is slated for 5 November. Spin-off Celebrity Big Brother has also been axed. C5 and producer […]
UK broadcaster ITV has ordered a 20x60mins daytime quiz show from Endemol Shine Group prodco Initial, and a 6x60mins political drama from a Homeland producer. The quiz format is based around a perceived British obsession with top ten lists. Teams of five players aim to move up a money ladders by finding top ten answers […]
Long-serving Initial executive Nick Samwell-Smith is leaving the Big Brother prodco after almost twenty years. The company is part of the Endemol Shine Group, which confirmed Samwell-Smith’s exit and added creative director Mirella Breda will step up to managing director. Samwell-Smith joined Initial in 1997 and was upped to creative director in 2006, and then […]
