Mark Burnett to exit as chairman of MGM Worldwide TV, returning to production
Mark Burnett is stepping down from his role as chairman of MGM Worldwide Television and returning to independent production.
Mark Burnett
The news of his departure comes just over eight months after Amazon completed its US$8.45bn acquisition of the US-based studio.
In a memo to his team, Burnett said he will return to “independently creating and innovating.” He will, however, continue to oversee his “legacy” series, he said.
“Now, after months of collaborative transition efforts, we have thoughtfully reorganised our teams so that they all have the opportunity to prosper under the leadership of Mike Hopkins, Jennifer Salke and Christopher Brearton,” said Burnett.
“In these days of media layoffs I am proud to say that everyone in the TV division has been offered a way to continue to contribute. No one was left behind.”
Burnett officially entered the MGM fold in 2014 when he sold a majority of his companies to the studio and became its president of television. After selling the rest of his companies for MGM stock, he took up the role of chairman of MGM Worldwide Television.
During his tenure, MGM has made strategic acquisitions including buying Evolution and Big Fish. MGM’s TV teams produces scripted series such as The Handmaid’s Tale and The Bible and unscripted shows including Survivor, The Voice and Shark Tank.
In a memo, senior VP Mike Hopkins said: “I know you’ll all agree that [Burnett] is one of the most innovative, creative and prolific television producers in our industry, and we have been extraordinarily fortunate to have him on our team.”
He added that Burnett’s departure “raises both opportunities and questions about how we’ll be organised moving forward. You’ll be hearing more about this shortly.”
Hopkins continued: “I am incredibly proud of the outstanding television and film content that we produce, and look forward to 2023 and beyond, when as a fully integrated team we continue to build on this legacy. Thanks for all your commitment and dedication as we head into a dynamic and successful future together.”
