Shine TV Boss Exiting UK Post

Kelly Webb-Lamb will exit London-based Shine TV at the end of this year after two years as its Managing Director. Richard Johnston, CEO of parent Endemol Shine UK, said the company will “take the time over the next few months” to explore what form new leadership will take. Webb-Lamb will help with the transition. The exec joined Shine TV as Creative Director in 2012 before being promoted to MD the following year and prior to the mega-merger that created Endemol Shine Group. During her tenure, she oversaw expansion of Shine’s slate across all the major UK broadcasters including Channel 4 with The Island With Bear Grylls and reality manhunt series Hunted of which CBS is planning a U.S. version. Prior to Shine, Webb-Lamb was Director of Factual Programmes at Princess Productions (Sky 1’s Got To Dance). Her previous credits include Gordon Ramsay Cookalong Live and Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare for Channel 4, BBC 2’s Mary Queen Of Charity Shops; and The Apprentice.

Former Haut et Court exec Jimmy Desmarais has joined France’s Atlantique Productions as co-managing director alongside Olivier Bilbas. Atlantique’s credits include Borgia and Transporter – The Series. It’s currently making Midnight Sun for Canal Plus and SVT in collaboration with Nice Drama, and developing series projects Métal Hurlant: Origins; Django with Italy’s Cattleya, and Crater Lake with Keshet UK. Desmarais joined Haut et Court in 2005 where he produced series that included Xanadu; Silex And The City; international breakout and Emmy winner Les Revenants (The Returned); and current co-production The Last Panthers which Sundance TV just boarded at Mipcom.

Viacom has set a new management team to oversee programming for its Comedy Central and MTV brands in the UK. Louise Holmes, who previously led programming for Comedy Central UK only, overseeing 5% share growth amongst 16-34 audiences, will now head a combined creative leadership team, as VP, Linear and Multi-Platform programming. Holmes will now have oversight of editorial strategy for both brands in the UK, including scheduling, acquisitions and commissioning of long-form content. She will also have editorial oversight of both brands in more than 30 countries managed out of the UK including Australia, Hungary, Israel and Russia. Brad Wood has also been made Acquisitions Director for both brands and Virginia Monaghan, who is currently VP, Music Commissioning and Content, MTV UK, will move to a newly created role as VP, Commercial Partnerships and Content across both brands.