Cohen exits Bravo, inks production deal

Andy Cohen is stepping down as head of development at US cablenet Bravo to launch his own prodco but has signed a production deal with the channel and had his chatshow renewed.

Cohen, who first joined Bravo in 2004 as VP of original programming and development, is launching Most Talkative and has signed a first-look development deal with the network.

Latenight talkshow Watch What Happens Live, which he has hosted since it launched in 2007, has also been renewed for the next two years.

It brings an end to his near decade long stint as an exec at the network which has also included spells as senior VP and later executive VP of original programming and development. He has overseen a slate of original programmes including Top Chef, Queer Eye and Project Runway.

Lara Spotts, currently VP of development, has been promoted into the head of development role at the NBCUniversal-owned entertainment channel. She previously worked in casting, production and development with VH1, MTV, Logo, Showtime, Disney Channel and ABC.

Spotts will lead scripted and non-scripted development efforts on the east and west coast reporting to Frances Berwick, president of Bravo and Oxygen Media.

Cohen will continue to exec-produce Bravo’s successful The Real Housewives franchise, which he helped to launch back in 2005.

Berwick said that Cohen had “influenced the course and the shape of Bravo tremendously over the past 10 years as a production and development executive, and as creator and host of our flagship late night show, becoming the face of the network.”