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Buccaneer sails off with Big Bro exec

MIPCOM: Buccaneer Media, the UK drama prodco launched by Tony Wood and Cineflix, has hired a Big Brother producer to help it push into unscripted.

Denis O’Connor

Denis O’Connor

Denis O’Connor is joining the London-based firm as head of unscripted programming and development.

He arrives from Endemol Shine-owned prodco Initial, where he was creative director on Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother.

He replaces the company’s previous head of unscripted Ross McCarthy who left earlier this year.

The move brings together the creative leads behind Big Brother and The Only Way is Essex, which Wood was instrumental in creating.

O’Connor was executive producer on Big Brother for three years, including its final run on Channel 4, before stepping up to creative director. He also worked on Celebrity Scissorhands for BBC3 and The Great British Weather for BBC1.

Wood said: “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.”

Buccaneer is in production and development on a range of both scripted and unscripted programming including crime drama Marcella for ITV, which was picked up for international distribution by Cineflix Rights this week.

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