NBC Entertainment


Universal Television names president

Pearlena Igbokwe has taken the reins at Universal Television, NBC’s cable and broadcast production arm. Igbokwe moves across from NBC Entertainment where she was executive VP, drama programming, to take the chairman role at Universal Television. She replaces Bela Bajaria who left Universal last week after under a year in the job. Prior to NBC […]

Universal TV president exits

Bela Bajaria is leaving her post as president of NBC’s network and cable production arm, Universal Television. Bajaria has been in her current role for just under a year, having been promoted by NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt. She had been drafted in as executive VP in 2011 from CBS Television Studios. At that time, […]

Vin Diesel hires Fox exec for new TV prodco

Action star Vin Diesel has signed a first-look producing agreement with Universal Television for a new production venture, which a Fox event series veteran will oversee. Diesel, best known for producing and starring movies from the Fast franchise, has created One Race Television and hired Shana C. Waterman as head of television to run it. […]

NBCU launches prodco with Harry Potter’s Heyman

NBCUniversal International Studios has created a joint venture production with Harry Potter and Gravity producer David Heyman. Heydey Television launches with a pair of series commitments from NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt. Heyman is best known for securing the rights to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books for cinema and then producing the subsequent eight movies. […]

Schwarzenegger joins NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice

Arnold Schwarzenegger is to succeed Donald Trump in the boardroom of NBC’s business reality show The Celebrity Apprentice. The show’s future had been thrown in doubt after NBC terminated its working relationship with controversial businessman and US presidential hopeful Trump after controversial remarks he made about Mexican immigrants in America. However, former Californian governor and […]

NBC continues to Do That

US broadcast network NBC has commissioned a second season of Israeli-created celebrity talent show I Can Do That. The second run will comprise eight episodes after the first (pictured) scored an average 1.7 rating and a strong share of the 18-49 demographic. “This series thrust our celebrities out of their comfort zones and into exciting, […]

Universal TV gets new president

NBC Entertainment has promoted Bela Bajaria to president of production unit Universal Television, and named a new executive VP of comedy programming. Bajaria was previously EVP, but has been upped after joining NBC in 2011 to rebuild the Peacock’s network studio operation. “Bela has done an incredible job of starting a studio from scratch three […]

Netflix replaces NBC as Tina Fey comedy’s home

Netflix is replacing US broadcaster NBC as the home of upcoming Tiny Fey/Robert Carlock comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The Universal Television-produced show had been lined up for the Comcast Communications-owned channel’s new season, but will now launch exclusively across Netflix territories worldwide. Furthermore, Netflix has committed to two seasons of the show, compared with the […]

NBC confirms Heroes return

US broadcaster NBC has confirmed it is bringing back sci-fi drama Heroes four years after it dropped Tim Kring’s show. Heroes Reborn will premiere in 2015 and be preceded by a digital series that will introduce new characters and storylines, though details of this are being kept under wraps for now. Heroes creator and executive […]

Lifetime poaches TLC exec for unscripted role

Lifetime has poached Marianna Flynn from rival female-skewing net TLC. At A+E-owned cable channel Lifetime, Flynn will be VP, non-fiction programming. Based in LA she will report to Eli Lehrer, senior VP of non-fiction. He said: “Her keen eye for talent and strong relationships within the creative community perfectly mesh with our strategy to keep […]