TVUSA
BBC Studios in Los Angles and Lionsgate have tapped media executive Dan McDermott to head up the companies’ television partnership.
In his new position, McDermott will oversee the joint venture that was developed in a bid to identify, co-develop and co-fund scripted formats and original intellectual property for the U.S. market. His remit will include managing the operations and leading the content initiatives of the new partnership between BBC Studios and Lionsgate.
McDermott, who began his career at the Fox Broadcasting Network, oversaw such series as In Living Color, The Simpsons, Married with Children and Beverly Hills 90210 as its executive VP of programming. He more recently served as the president of television for DreamWorks, where he shepherded such shows as Spin City and Freaks and Geeks. McDermott also previously partnered with Lorenzo di Bonaventura to launch a television company, through which he executive produced series like Zero Hour, The Real O’Neals and the upcoming Jupiter’s Legacy for Netflix.
McDermott said: “I have always followed my curiosity and ambition—from the early days at Fox and DreamWorks to my years spent writing and producing content. Now, I am inspired to lead the partnership of these two great companies. BBC Studios is a treasure trove of great properties and talent, and Lionsgate is a global content platform with one of the most exciting independent television businesses in the world. The extraordinary teams of Mark Linseyand Matt Forde at BBC Studios and Kevin Beggs and Sandra Stern at Lionsgate are the perfect partners to make this happen. I can hardly wait to dive in.”
Lionsgate Television Chairman Kevin Beggs said: “Dan’s business acumen and deep roots in the creative community make him the perfect candidate to lead the charge on this collaboration with our great partners at BBC Studios. He is not only an experienced media executive but an incredibly talented content creator responsible for some of television’s most iconic properties. We’re excited to be working with him and can’t wait to see all the amazing content he’ll bring to our programming slate.”
Matt Forde, managing director of international production and formats for BBC Studios, added: “From television to film, from distributing content to writing his own, Dan has proven that he’s a skilled studio executive with a very creative spirit. As we continue to ramp up our scripted operations with Lionsgate, we’re looking forward to having an astute leader like Dan to guide the team that will fill our content pipeline with great television series for the U.S. market.”
