Talkback and Thames have been joined once again into a single entertainment label as part of a restructure by Liam Humphreys, CEO FremantleMedia UK Unscripted.

Talkback Thames will be headed up by Managing Director, Leon Wilson, previously MD of comedy entertainment label, Talkback, who will report into Humphreys.

The move follows news last week that Richard Holloway is to step down as managing director of Thames after 20 years.

Talkback and Thames will continue to have individual heads, reporting into Wilson.

Amelia Brown, previously Head of Thames/Syco Productions, becomes Managing Director of Thames, overseeing all Thames entertainment output. For Thames/Syco shows (Britain’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got More Talent, The X Factor and Your Song) she will report directly to Humphreys.

Ed Sleeman is promoted to Head of Talkback and Jonno Richards is promoted to Director of Programmes for Talkback, overseeing such titles as Celebrity Juice (ITV2), The Keith and Paddy Picture Show (ITV) andYour Face or Mine (Comedy Central). 

Dean Jones is promoted to Director of Production across FMUK Unscripted and Liz Holmwood to Head of On-Screen Talent, FMUK Unscripted. Both will report into Humphreys. 

Phil Harris joins the business in the newly-created role of Creative Director, Thames, reporting into Amelia Brown. Harris was formerly Head of Entertainment at Lime Pictures and has produced shows including The Only Way is Essex (ITV2) and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV) as well as creating and producing Celebs Go Dating (E4).

Liam Humphreys said: “Establishing Talkback and Thames as a joined-up entertainment division again enables both teams to work together in a more cohesive way, sharing expertise and creativity, and encouraging cross-genre development. We have world-class entertainment talent and, under the creative leadership of Leon Wilson, this new structure will give both Talkback and Thames the freedom to work more closely together and create new world-class content.”

Humphreys also announced plans to expand factual label Boundless and grow its focus to produce more Factual Entertainment content with scale. Damian Pitman joins as Director of Development. 

Previously Head of Development at betty, Pitman developed the forthcoming Gone To Pot (ITV) and, in his former role as Head of Development for Optomen, Employable Me (BBC).  A new Managing Director of Boundless will be announced in due course, following the departure of Hannah Wyatt to BBC Studios.

Danny Carvalho, Creative Director, FMUK Unscripted and Kat Hebden, MD Shotglass Media, both continue to report into Humphreys. 

The managing directors of FremantleMedia UK’s scripted labels – Kate Harwood at Euston Films and Jon Rolph at Retort – continue to report directly to FremantleMedia Group CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz.

Staff Reporter

Share this story

Share Televisual stories within your social media posts.
Be inclusive: Televisual.com is open access without the need to register.
Anyone and everyone can access this post with minimum fuss.