Essential Canada names CEO

The Toronto-based prodco behind unscripted series Fool’s Gold has rebranded as Essential Media Canada and appointed a new CEO as part of a management buy-out.

Jonathan Dueck

Executive producer Jonathan Dueck has taken the reins of Essential Media Canada (previously 11 Television Canada), alongside Joey Case as creative director and executive producer.

Previous CEO Michael McMahon has sold his stake in the business and continues to run his Toronto-based indie Primitive Entertainment.

Dueck and Case, who are now Essential Media Canada shareholders, have collaborated on several of the company’s shows over the past four years and are the producing team behind the docu-comedy gold-mining series Fool’s Gold and hidden-camera show Made-Up, which will premiere on Disney XD in the US.

Also joining the team is Paul Taylor as head of development. Taylor previously worked as a development producer at RTR Media, developing more than 30 hours of programming in the US and Canada, including Open House Overhaul (HGTV).

The company remains part of the Essential Media Group, which has bases in Sydney, LA and Toronto.