Headline, Industry News

CBC shakes up comedy team

TORONTO — In the latest sign that Sally Catto is consolidating power at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Carol Commisso has left the public broadcaster as executive in charge of comedy production.

And Anton Leo has been replaced as creative head of comedy at the CBC by Jenny Hacker, who joined the CBC in 2007 as executive in charge of comedy development.

Hacker will now oversee all live and scripted comedy at the CBC, while Leo becomes senior executive in charge of production for live comedy.

Both Leo and Hacker will report to Catto, who in November 2009 replaced Fred Fuchs as executive director of arts and entertainment for the CBC’s English TV service.

Fuchs, a former American Zoetrope president, at the time was moved sideways to become manager of production enterprises for CBC Television.

That was before Fuchs two weeks ago bolted the public broadcaster to become executive producer of Take 5 Productions’ new version of “Camelot” for pay cable network Starz, based in Toronto ( HR, May 20).

The comedy shakeup follows the CBC last week unveiling its fall 2010 lineup, with only one new sitcom, “Men With Brooms,” based on the 2002 feature curling comedy of the same name.

“Jenny’s relationships with the creative community are strong and her ability to develop smart and engaging comedies will fare her well and continue to build on the great comedic legacy of the CBC,” Catto said in a statement as she reshapes her creative team.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter