Fugitive captures MTG, ITV alum

Merrily Ross and Anthony Kimble

Anthony Kimble’s fledgling UK content development and financing outfit Fugitive has hired an MTG and ITV formats veteran to grow the non-scripted side of the business.

Merrily Ross, who was previously VP of formats at MTG (now NENT Group) and before that VP of format sales at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, will join Fugitive on September 1.

Fugitive, which former Cineflix, National Geographic and Channel 5 exec Kimble established earlier this year, already has partnerships with Australia’s Essential Media Group and Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, among others.

The company’s activities span scripted and non-scripted and its the latter side of the business Ross will aim to boost.

The exec, who during her time at ITVSGE was responsible for the international roll-out of formats including Come Dine With Me and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, left Scandinavia’s MTG last year.

Ross was with MTG for five years and worked with both UK-based and international content producers sourcing and developing formats, such as Red Arrow International’s Buying Blind and ITVSGE’s Love Island, for the group’s channels across Europe.

She will now work with Kimble on consultancy and development for producers, as well as distribution, coproduction and pre-sale strategies.

“Merrily is one of the leading lights in the international formats business,” said Kimble. “With Fugitive growing apace, I am delighted to have her working alongside me, bringing her unique knowledge and perspectives on the world of factual entertainment.”

At the same time Fugitive has closed deals to represent new factual content at Mipcom: 8×60′ documentary series K9 – Police Dog Boot Camp from Critical Content and Cavalry Media; and an as-yet-undisclosed show from the UK’s Outline Productions.