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24 September 2014
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Jon Beazley

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Jon Beazley and Karen Smith take top entertainment jobs at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision Studios


Jon Beazley is to take the top job in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ entertainment production as Controller, Entertainment Group for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision Studios, with Karen Smith becoming Creative Director of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Entertainment Production, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Chief Creative Officer Peter Salmon announced today.

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In the first major appointments to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision Studios, Jon, currently the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Controller of Entertainment Commissioning, will lead a creative community of about 500 and a business with a turnover over of Β£50m a year.

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He will report directly to Peter and sit on the Vision Studios Board.

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Jon will also work closely with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Scotland on their growing portfolio and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide to grow Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Entertainment's increasingly successful international format sales business.

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Karen is currently the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Creative Head of Format Entertainment.

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In her new role she will report to Jon, leading and aligning production and development across the Entertainment brand working closely with multi-media commissioning and building on the heritage and success of Entertainment output in the context of the new Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision model.

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Peter Salmon said: "This is very significant for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision. Jon is one of the UK's most accomplished entertainment producers and commissioners, and Karen is one of the industry's rising stars.

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"Together they will be a double act that can help lead one of the entertainment world's best teams that produces some of TV's biggest hits - shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Dragons' Den and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

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"They will also help drive our new push into multi-platform production and games, and they will build great Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ ideas into entertainment formats that can flourish around the world, bringing income back to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ."

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Jon Beazley said: "To leave Commissioning for Production was a difficult choice but after five years in Entertainment Commissioning as both Executive Editor and Controller, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision's Entertainment Studio presents enormously exciting opportunities; Entertainment's current range of distinctive programming and the desire to initiate valuable content across all multimedia platforms was just too tempting.

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"I am thrilled to be steering Entertainment Production and look forward to close collaboration with the talented programme makers across the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide."

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Jon is due to take up his role before Christmas and Karen will start in January.

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Jana Bennett, Director of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision, said: "Jon has made a fantastic impact on the Independent sector and in-house production as Controller of Entertainment Commissioning - revitalising Saturday nights with huge hits like Strictly Come Dancing and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, and commissioning exciting shows such as Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, The Apprentice and Dragons' Den.

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"I'm so pleased that Jon will be heading up Entertainment Production, because he'll bring all that expertise, and his vast knowledge of the channels, commissioners and schedules, to his new role and Karen is destined for great things in the Entertainment world.

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"Peter's announcements today mark an important first step for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision Studios and another milestone in the building of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision."

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With nearly 5,000 programme-makers throughout the UK across drama, entertainment, comedy and factual, learning and children's programmes, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Vision Studios will be the biggest integrated multimedia production group in the world when it launches on 1 January 2007.

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Biographies

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Jon Beazley has commissioned and produced some of the highest profile entertainment shows in British television.

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As Commissioner he has been responsible for Strictly Come Dancing, Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, Sport Relief, Bafta Film Awards, The Apprentice, House Of Tiny Tearaways, Just The Two Of Us and all National Lottery shows including Jet Set, In it to Win It and 1 vs 100.

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Jon has been Controller of Entertainment Commissioning since October 2005, responsible for commissioning all entertainment programming from both in-house producers and the independent sector including Format and Factual Entertainment, Comedy Entertainment and Events and Specials including Children in Need and Comic Relief.

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He was previously Executive Editor in Commissioning on a range of Independent and In-House Programming including the ground-breaking interactive Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One hit Test The Nation, Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton's Bigger Picture, Jack Dee Live At The Apollo and acts for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in its relationship with bodies such as Bafta, Comic Relief and Camelot.

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Jon's earliest production roles for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ were in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Manchester and then in London on the live chat show Wogan.

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He then became assistant producer for Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game, Entertainment USA, Comic Relief, Noel Edmonds' Saturday Roadshow, The Olivier Awards and The Brits.

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Jon produced Noel's House Party from 1993 to 1996, winning recognition from Montreux Rose D'Or and a Bafta TV nomination. He also Produced Jim Davidson's Generation Game for two years.

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In 1997 be became Editor, Mainstream Entertainment with responsibility for The Other Half, National Lottery Stars, the Bafta TV And Film Awards and also continued as Executive Producer on titles such as Lenny Henry Goes To Town.

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Karen Smith is currently Creative Head of Format Entertainment at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, the department which produces Strictly Come Dancing, Strictly Dance Fever, Just The Two Of Us, Jet Set, Weakest Link, Question Of Sport, The House Of Tiny Tearaways, Sudo-q and Never Mind The Full Stops.

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Karen joined the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in October 2003 as Executive Producer of Strictly Come Dancing, winning many awards including a Rose D'or, an RTS, a Broadcast award, plus two Bafta nominations.

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In July 2004 Karen became Editor and went on to make Strictly Dance Fever, Strictly Ice Dancing, Strictly African Dancing, Just The Two Of Us, Hard Spell, Star Spell and the VE Day Special, We'll Meet Again.

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Karen was formerly Editor of ITV1's This Morning and Series Producer of Comic Relief Does Fame Academy for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One, as well as The Games for Channel 4.

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Category: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Date: 09.11.2006
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