WBITVP in Oz Names Head of Entertainment

SYDNEY: Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) in Australia has hired Shaun Murphy as head of entertainment, a newly created position.

Murphy, who has two decades of industry experience, joins Warner Bros. from Shine Australia. His executive producer credits include three seasons of The Bachelor Australia, Australia's Next Top Model for Foxtel and Crips & Bloods: Made in America for PBS.

Andrew Zein, the senior VP of creative, format development and sales at WBITVP, said: "We're delighted to secure Shaun as head of entertainment for Warner Bros. International Television Production in Australia. Having worked with him over the last three years as he oversaw our flagship format The Bachelor in Australia, we saw what a superb executive producer he is, as well as being a great guy. Shaun joining WBITVP underlines our commitment and ambition for growing our Australian production business, and he joins our already exceptional team, which includes Geraldine Orrock, head of development, who joined WBITVP in September having previously executive produced The Voice Australia and My Kitchen Rules."

Murphy's appointment coincides with the third-season premiere of The Bachelor Australia being rated as the number one debut in its time slot on Network Ten. It has also been announced that WBITVP Australia is co-producing a seventh season of Who Do You Think You Are? for SBS, and is co-producing What Really Happens in Thailand, a ten-part reality series, for Seven.