Sophie Leonard Tapped as Unscripted EVP at FOX Television Network

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test executive producer Sophie Leonard has joined FOX Television Network as executive VP of unscripted.

Leonard will lead the creative strategy, development and production of FOX’s unscripted portfolio, working closely with internal teams and creative partners to build bold, premium formats and large-scale franchises designed to resonate with broad audiences and travel globally. She will spearhead the expansion of the network’s unscripted pipeline, with a focus on scalable competition formats, breakthrough social experiments and returnable event series that extend across platforms.

Leonard joins from Samphire Films, the company she co-founded in 2024. She was the creative director there. Prior to that, she was the creative director at Minnow Films, where she executive produced more than 200 hours of prime-time programming across entertainment and premium unscripted.

“Sophie is an exceptional creative leader with fearless instincts, global perspective, and a proven ability to deliver bold, high-impact unscripted entertainment,” said Michael Thorn, president of FOX Television Network. “As one of the creators and executive producers behind Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, her impact on the series is as undeniable as the many ambitious ideas she’s introduced through our partnership, and in her new role, we’ll build on that collaborative moment as we deliver on our unscripted strategy and continue to grow the FOX brand.”

“Joining FOX in this role is an extraordinary opportunity,” Leonard said. “What Rob, Michael and the team have built is genuinely one of the most exciting growth stories anywhere in the television business right now. The scale of ambition, creative freedom and the speed at which FOX is moving is incredibly energizing. I’m thrilled to bring my experience across the Atlantic, deepen the relationships we’ve already built and work with the extraordinary producers and partners here in the U.S. and around the world to develop bold, FOX-worthy unscripted programming that truly travels.”