Creative director Denis O’Connor leaves Big Brother
Big Brother UK bigwig Denis O’Connor has quit the show’s production team, just over five months after he became its Creative Director.
O’Connor took up the role – which was previously held by Phil Edgar-Jones in the Channel 4 years, but had been left unfilled since
Gavin Henderson’s 2012 departure – in April, giving him power over all aspects of the show, from the main house action to companion series Bit On The Side.
However, just five months later, he is now leaving Endemol Shine to become the head of unscripted programming and development at Buccaneer Media, producer of Sky Living’s
Desi Rascals, which was founded by
The Only Way Is Essex co-creator Tony Wood.
Wood commented: “Marrying Denis’s experience on Big Brother with mine on The Only Way is Essex opens up some very interesting new ideas and I’m thrilled to be creating exciting new unscripted shows together.”
Prior to becoming Big Brother’s creative director, O’Connor was one of its executive producers for four years.
He oversaw Channel 4’s final series in 2010, and went on to work on the broadcaster’s Christmas-themed Big Brother rip-off
Home For The Holidays. He later returned to BB’s senior team in 2012, ahead of Channel 5’s second civilian run.
Viewers heard BOTS host Rylan Clark allude to O’Connor’s exit on-air during the finale of Celebrity Big Brother’s UK vs. USA series last month. He announced: “I want to say a massive thank you to our creative director, Denis. We love you Denis, you’ve been amazing and we’re gonna miss you.”
It is currently unclear whether Big Brother will appoint a new creative director.
Earlier this year,
seven media executives lived in the Big Brother house for 24 hours as part of a special feature for the Edinburgh Television Festival.
Read more:
http://www.bbspy.co.uk/cbb16/news/1006/denis-oconnor-quits-celebrity-big-brother-uk-endemol-shine-five-months-after-becoming-creative-director#ixzz3nvspFtsn
... a double post for some reason
