Fox TV exec joins High Noon

ITV-owned reality specialist High Noon Entertainment has hired the senior VP of alternative programming and development at Fox Television Studios to manage its development slate.

Jill Schwartz

Jill Schwartz joins the Cake Boss producer as senior VP of development and will focus on character-driven docuseries and original formats for US broadcast and cable networks.

Schwartz will report to High Noon’s CEO Jim Berger in the LA-based role, which also includes responsibility for High Noon’s 10-strong development team in the company’s Denver and LA offices.

The former FremantleMedia exec replaces Patrick Jager, who left High Noon earlier this year and is now executive VP and chief creative officer at Denver-based prodco Everwise Entertainment.

At Fox TV Studios, Schwartz oversaw series including The Girls Next Door for E!, The Wanda Sykes Show for Fox and The Great Escape for TNT.

Schwartz was at FremantleMedia North America between 1995 and 2005, where she led production on the first five seasons of American Idol as well as gameshows such as Family Feud.

High Noon’s production slate currently includes Cake Boss for TLC, Dude You’re Screwed for Discovery and Trip Flip for Travel.

In the last year, High Noon said it has produced more than 30 series, pilots and specials and delivered over 200 hours of programming. UK broadcaster ITV paid US$25.65m for a controlling stake in the prodco in May last year.