Follows exits in Bell Media shake-up

Discovery Canada general manager Edwina Follows has left the Bell Media/Discovery joint venture after 15 years as part of the latest round of lay-offs at the Canadian broadcast group.

Edwina Follows

Follows joined Discovery Channel in Canada in 2005 as a producer on Exploration Production’s Forensic Factor and On The Run, having previously worked as a screenwriter on series including Relic Hunter and Brace Face.

She held numerous roles at the factual giant, including executive producer, director of production and director of commissioning and production, before being promoted to general manager in 2018.

Follows was responsible for the commissioning, development, and production of independent programming for Discovery and its related networks, Animal Planet, Discovery Velocity, Investigation Discovery and Discovery Science.

Discovery Canada is a JV between Bell Media and Discovery Communications, which recently launched its direct-to-consumer streaming service Discovery+ in Canada.

Follows’ exit comes as part of a second round of lay-offs at Bell Media this month, which has also seen the departure of execs including Tyson Parker, director, podcasting and artist and music industry relations, according to Playback.

Several other veteran Bell Media executives, including president of content and programming Mike Cosentino, left earlier this month as part of what the company called a “streamlining” as it focuses on its on-demand service Crave TV amid rising competition from streamers.

The moves followed the departure of president Randy Lennox at the end of 2020 and the promotion of Wade Oosterman as his replacement.