Sunburnt Penguin Appoints Saskia Schuster as EP

Sunburnt Penguin has appointed former ITV and Sky commissioner Saskia Schuster as executive producer.

“Growing up, we were obsessed with stories and put on endless productions in the back garden to the bemusement of our neighbors,” said Schuster. “Now I get to work with Clelia [Mountford] and I’m excited we can continue our shared passion for scripted content. Sunburnt Penguin embodies Clelia’s vision for outstanding scripted programmes, beautifully executed with wit and heart. I am looking forward to working with emerging talent, as well as some of the most established names in the industry, to build my own slate and collaborate on existing projects.”

Schuster will build a slate of comedies and dramas and will work closely with founder Mountford on a range of projects currently in various stages of funded development. Previously serving as head of comedy and comedy drama at ITV, Schuster was responsible for commissioning critically acclaimed shows including Plebs, Timewasters, Benidorm, Don’t Hate the Playaz, Birds of a Feather and Vicious.

“Saskia has fantastic broadcast commissioning experience, as well as years of production expertise with iconic, popular and genre-defying programming credits under her belt,” said Mountford. “She is full of brilliant, creative ideas, but is also disciplined and strategic in her approach. She is a passionate mentor to new and emerging talent, as evidenced in her work as founder of Comedy 50:50. I am beyond delighted Saskia has joined Sunburnt Penguin. And to top it all, she’s my sister!”

In addition to Schuster, Ye-Ye Fadaka has been appointed as creative assistant. Joining Sunburnt Penguin in early 2025, Fadaka supports the team editorially and collaborates closely with writers to bring projects onto the development slate.