Banijay UK tops up Simpson role at Fizz

Banijay UK has expanded the role of the creative director at Fizz, the RDF production subsidiary behind shows such as The Crystal Maze and Tipping Point.

Neale Simpson

Creative director Neale Simpson will step up to lead all development, production and operations at the company, tasked with growing the business and its output.

Simpson has been with RDF, the largest production company within Banijay UK, for nine years and founded Fizz just under five years ago. He continues to report to RDF’s MD Jim Allen.

Simpson has recently worked on the UK productions and international roll-out of The Crystal Maze and Shipwrecked and, in his new role, he will act as executive producer across all Fizz titles.

Banijay UK said there is set to be further collaboration between Fizz and RDF’s factual team, while there will be a recruitment drive to attract new development talent.

Alongside Fizz’s operations, Simpson will continue to oversee the ongoing co-development/production deal with the Northern Irish company Nice One Productions. So far this has resulted in the BBC3 factual entertainment format Fight Dirty.

Fizz’s other UK commissions include Humble Pie (UKTV), Undressed (Discovery), the Channel 4 series The Crystal Maze and Shipwrecked, plus ITV daytime quiz show Tipping Point.