Fremantle Takes 100% Stake in Naked, Simon Andreae Upped to CEO of Fremantle U.K.
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Fremantle has taken a 100% stake in Naked Television, and has named Naked founder Simon Andreae CEO of Fremantle U.K.
A founding partner of Optomen Television and a former Fox executive, Andreae will take over from outgoing CEO Liam Humphreys.
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As head of U.K.’s operations, Andreae will report to group CEO Jennifer Mullin, and take a seat on Fremantle’s global operating board, while overseeing Fremantle labels Thames, Talkback, Boundless, Euston Films, Hare & Tortoise, Castlefield, and the newly integrated Naked, for which the group had acquired a minority stake in 2015.
Naked’s COO Susie Dark and creative director Tom O’Brien will now take over daily operations for unscripted outfit. In recent years, Naked has produced shows like “Harry Redknapp’s Sandbanks Summer” and “Manson: The Lost Tapes” for ITV, the upcoming “Ghost” for Channel 4, and the BBC3 program “The Rap Game UK.”
“I am thrilled that Simon will helm our U.K. business,” said Fremantle Group CEO Jennifer Mullin. “Simon knows how to make great content and has a terrific track-record in taking bold risks to create ambitious shows.”
Andreae added: “I’m extremely proud of the brand we’ve built at Naked, and am looking forward to supporting both them and Fremantle’s other world-class production labels as we shape a truly creative, collaborative and future-facing studio group.”
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