01-05-2025
NBCUniversal Execs Face Reality Check As Unscripted Hit Hardest By Layoffs
EXCLUSIVE: NBCUniversal started another round of layoffs earlier Wednesday, as revealed by Deadline.
It appears that its unscripted teams were the hardest hit in this latest round of redundancies, with at least two SVPs on the reality side impacted as well as a number working across NBC, Peacock and Bravo.
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Deadline understands that Stephanie Steele, SVP Unscripted Current Production, and Jenny Ramirez, SVP Unscripted Formats, were among those let go today.
Steele, who one source described as 'one of the most beloved senior people in our business,' has been with the company for nearly 15 years. She oversaw the team that produces its true-crime shows including Peacock's Who Killed Robert Wone? and The Hillside Strangler: Devil in Disguise.
Ramirez joined the company in late 2022, having previously been SVP Unscripted Programming for TBS, TNT and TruTV, where she worked on shows such as Wipeout, Rat in the Kitchen and Stupid Pet Tricks.
There were other departures within this unscripted team, involving director- and manager-level execs.
Elsewhere, Christy Dees, VP Development and Bravo, is also leaving. She has been with the company for more than 15 years and worked on shows including Summer House as well as titles in The Real Housewives and Below Deck franchises.
This focus on unscripted comes amid a recalibration of NBCUniversal's structure. It follows the departure of EVP Unscripted Content, Competition and Game Shows Corie Henson, who left following a restructure that saw Pearlena Igbokwe, who runs Universal Studio Group, take control of NBC Entertainment, which includes unscripted, in addition to scripted programming at Peacock. Frances Berwick, meanwhile, moved over to Chairman, Bravo and Peacock Unscripted, overseeing all of the company's non-NBC unscripted programming.
Before this restructure, Henson oversaw all titles that had a cash prize across NBC, Peacock and the cable networks, while Rachel Smith, who was promoted to EVP Unscripted Content, Lifestyle and Documentaries in 2023 following the departure of Rod Aissa, oversaw non-competition reality titles.
Smith reports to Berwick, while Sharon Vuong, who recently secured the job of EVP Unscripted Programming at NBC on a permanent basis, reports to Igbokwe.
NBC's unscripted slate includes America's Got Talent, The Voice, American Ninja Warrior and Deal or No Deal Island and upcoming titles such as On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. On the Peacock side, it has Love Island USA, which is also behind spinoffs including Love Island Games and Love Island: Beyond the Villa; The Traitors, the Emmy-winning format that has been renewed through Season 5; and spinoffs of The Real Housewives and Below Deck.
Outside of unscripted, there have been a few cuts across various scripted divisions, most notably Vivian Lin, VP Development at UCP, departing the studio. She's been with the company for just over two years, having spent the previous seven at Netflix working on indie film.
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