Warner Bros. Renames U.K. TV Production Operation, Appoints New Team

LONDON/BURBANK: Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) and Warner Bros. UK are rebranding Shed Media Group as Warner Bros. Television Productions UK, which will be led by Nick Emmerson and Claire Hungate.

The move follows its acquisition of 100 percent of the outstanding shares of Shed Media Group. Emmerson and Hungate have both been promoted to lead the new entity; Emmerson will serve as managing director and Hungate as co-managing director. They succeed current Shed Media Group CEO Nick Southgate, who has decided to leave the company upon the completion of the transaction.

As managing director of the newly named Warner Bros. Television Productions UK, Emmerson will report to Peter Roth, WBTVG’s president and chief content officer, on all creative matters. He will also work closely with Mike Darnell, the president of Warner Bros. unscripted and alternative television. In his new post, Emmerson will be responsible for the overall operation of the new company and will have a primary focus on creative affairs across the group, with the heads of Wall to Wall, Twenty Twenty, Ricochet, Watershed, Renegade, Yalli and Headstrong reporting to him. Emmerson had been serving as CEO of Ricochet Television since January 2013.

As co-managing director of Warner Bros. Television Productions UK, Hungate will serve as the company’s top business, strategy and operations executive. She will primarily be responsible for the business, strategic and financial matters of the company, working closely with the heads and executives of Wall to Wall, Twenty Twenty, Ricochet, Watershed, Renegade, Yalli and Headstrong on strategic and operational plans for the group. She will report to Emmerson, and together they will work closely with Ronald Goes, the executive VP and head of international television production, in managing the business. Hungate had been COO of Shed Media Group since November 2010.

In a joint statement, Roth; Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution; and Craig Hunegs, the president for business and strategy at WBTVG, said: “With the completion of the full acquisition of Shed Media Group, we are excited to operate the company now under the Warner Bros. brand as a fully integrated part of the Warner Bros. Television Group. Nick and Claire, with their shared experience and complementary creative and strategic business skill sets, will form an undeniable team and prove to be great leaders for the future of Warner Bros. Television Productions UK. We look forward to continued success across the globe with the combination of our U.S., U.K. and international television production businesses, including the recently acquired Eyeworks Group and the BlazHoffski Group.”

Roth, Schlesinger and Hunegs continued: “We also want to thank Nick Southgate for both his creative and strategic success during his 15 years at the company and especially during the last three years of our partnership.”

Southgate said: “I’ve had a wonderful six years leading this amazing bunch of people and now feel it is time for me to look for a new entrepreneurial challenge. I want to thank everyone at Shed and Warner Bros., and wish them all the best for the future.”

Emmerson said: “I’m delighted to get the opportunity to focus on giving the hugely talented and creative leaders of Wall to Wall, Ricochet, Twenty Twenty, Renegade, Watershed, Headstrong and Yalli all the tools they need to do what they do best—make great television programs. I couldn’t be happier that I’ll be joined on this mission by Claire Hungate. I first worked with Claire back in our Princess Productions days, and I know from experience that she’s the first name you’d want on your team sheet.”

Hungate said: “Having worked to grow Wall to Wall and ultimately the Shed Group alongside Nick Southgate, it’s now fantastic to be part of the leadership team taking the company to a new level, as Warner Bros. Television Productions UK. I look forward to working with Nick Emmerson and the great creative and strategic teams across the company to continue growing its presence and success in the U.K. TV production space.”