Richard McKerrow, co-founder of The Great British Bake Off producer Love Productions, is exiting the company this month after 20 years at the helm as chief creative officer and CEO.
McKerrow formed Love Productions in 2004 with Anna Beattie, and a majority share of the company was sold to Sky Studios in 2014. McKerrow and Beattie were responsible for many of Love’s shows, including The Great British Bake Off, The Piano, The Great British Sewing Bee, The Great Pottery Throwdown, Britain’s Missing Top Model, Young Mums Mansion and The Baby Borrowers.
Letty Kavanagh, managing director; Kieran Smith, creative director; and Simon Evans, executive editor, will continue to lead the company.
McKerrow said: “Twenty years after setting up Love Productions with Anna Beattie, I will be leaving the company to pursue a new creative venture and new challenges. We are both tremendously proud of the shows we created together and of the incredible team at Love who have been with us most of the way. Love has a unique company culture stemming from all the people there who really make it what it is, and I’m extremely grateful that I leave with the company in such great shape.”
Kavanagh said: “Richard has been one of the most inspiring people I have had the pleasure to work with. Love Productions was founded on his and Anna’s infectious creativity, and it’s been a privilege to be part of the company for so many years. We will continue to embrace the creative risk they inspired throughout our very many years working together.”
