Lion TV


Lion TV recruits Paramount UK commissioner Daniel Pearl as creative director

UK factual producer Lion TV has appointed Paramount commissioner Daniel Pearl as its new creative director. Pearl served as commissioning editor of unscripted for Paramount+ and Channel 5 in the UK, where his credits include credits include Neverland: Michael Jackson & Me and the series Our Yorkshire Farm. He also previously was the editor of […]

Nutopia hires Lion TV & Raw alum Tom Watt-Smith to drive docuseries & formats

Nutopia has appointed former Lion TV exec Tom Watt-Smith to a newly created position working across its docuseries and returning formats slate. Watt-Smith becomes creative director of formats & special projects at Nutopia and will be based in London, reporting into chief creative officer, Simon Willgoss, and CEO, Jane Root. Prior to joining Nutopia, Watt-Smith […]

Station 6 hires Lion alum for unscripted development

Station 6 Productions, the New York-based prodco recently launched by former Lion TV USA CEO Tony Tackaberry, has appointed fellow Lion alum Sara Winter as VP of development.  Winter marks the first major hire for Station 6, which focuses on unscripted series, documentaries and formats. In her new role, Winter will create new and original […]

Sky orders across true crime, sport & nature in factual boost

European pay-TV giant Sky has boosted its factual offering with six new commissions across its channels, Sky Documentaries, Sky History, Sky Crime and Sky Nature. All six new titles will also be available on streaming service NOW, with three heading to Sky Documentaries, including The Assassination Of Olof Palme, a ‘thriller-esque” four-parter set in Cold […]

News round-up: Hulu, BBC3 and Delevigne set course for ‘Planet Sex’; ‘Sweet Diva’ goes global; Channel 5 bulks up history slate

Hulu and BBC3 set course for ‘Planet Sex’ with Cara Delevigne US streamer Hulu and UK channel BBC Three have jointly commissioned a new documentary exploring human sexuality from Fremantle-owned Naked, to be hosted and co-created by actor and singer Cara Delevingne. The six-part series, which has the working title Planet Sex, will see Delevingne […]

All3Media’s Lion TV hires creative director and factual chief

All3Media-backed UK producer Lion TV has hired a creative director and a head of factual. Emma Morgan replaces Lisa Edwards, who left at the start of the year to take up the same role at Studio Ramsay, while Tom Watt-Smith has been hired to head up factual Morgan was most recently at Firecracker Films, where […]

All3Media puts Lion TV into Lime Pictures with Shahana Meer exiting

Discovery and Liberty Global-backed All3Media is moving Lion TV into Lime Pictures, with one of the former company’s managing directors exiting as a result. Factual prodco Lion TV, which is behind Homes Under The Hammer, Horrible Histories and Cash Cab, will sit as an independent company under Lime, with managing director Shahana Meer leaving to […]

US writers guild secures Lion TV agreement

The Writers Guild of America East has secured a new three-year contract with the US arm of All3Media-owned unscripted prodco Lion TV. The contract includes significant increases in minimum pay rates, a short wait for freelancers to be eligible for health benefits and provision to clarify the start of paid time on field production days. […]

Leftfield launches OTT-focused prodco

US unscripted group Leftfield Entertainment has launched a production subsidiary that will focus on “smart and authentic” programming for TV channels and OTT platforms. Former Optomen Television exec Stephanie Angelides will lead Riot Creative as president. The prodco will have what’s is described as an “increased focus” on digital programming. Leftfield launched a similar venture, Loud […]

Outgoing boss announces new BBC Three series

UK digital youth-skewed channel BBC Three has ordered three new formats. From the BBC’s own production department there will be a 6x30mins variety show, Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment, in which the titular host will explore weighty issues and set the world to rights. Lion TV is making dating show Sexy Beasts. It was piloted earlier […]