Lush And Vardanis To Leave BBC For Venture With TV Corp
The Television Corporation Plc (TVC) has announced plans to take a majority stake in a new start-up company to founded by entertainment hitmakers Jane Lush and Fenia Vardanis, who are leaving the BBC to take part in the venture.
At the BBC, Lush & Vardanis worked together successfully on hit shows commissioning programmes including Strictly Come Dancing and Strictly Dance Fever, The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den and Comic Relief does Fame Academy.
The deal will see TVC invest £91,000 for a 65% stake in the company alongside investment from both Jane Lush and Fenia Vardanis, with TVC having an option from 2011 to purchase the minority shareholding in the company held by Jane Lush and Fenia Vardanis.
Commenting on the deal, Tom Chandos, Chairman of The Television Corporation, said: “Fenia and Jane are recognised and proven hitmakers as producers and commissioners, a team with a long record of successes in entertainment and daytime programming in particular. They will bring this creativity and experience to their new company and I am delighted that they have chosen us as their partner.”
The partnership will see the established strengths and resources of TVC used to support them in establishing a significant position in the UK market, creating a strong base for format sales and other international activities.
The move substantially broadens the TVC capability in entertainment, daytime and other popular programming and represents further progress in creating the balance of entertainment, factual, drama and sports content on which it is now focused.
Lush said: “This has been an unbelievably difficult decision leaving behind a great team in Entertainment Commissioning, inspirational colleagues on BBC Television’s Management Board, and an in house production department which is powering away so successfully. This opportunity to be part of a company with such drive and energy was just too exciting to pass by. I sincerely hope we’ll be able to contribute significantly to the BBC in the future, albeit from the outside.”
Vardanis added: “The BBC has been an enormous part of my professional life and I’m leaving behind people and programmes that I’m incredibly close to. However, I’m excited by the ambition of my new colleagues at The TV Corporation and I hope to bring all my experience from commissioning and production to this new venture.”
Lush and Vardanis’s exit from the BBC follows in the footsteps of Peter Salmon after leaving the Corporation after more than four years (see Salmon To Join The Television Corporation).
The Television Corporation appointed the ex BBC director of sport, group chief executive replacing Jeff Foulser, who remained on the board becoming director of sport and chairman of Sunset & Vine, the groups sports production arm.
Television Corporation: www.tvcorp.co.uk