John Edwards to depart Endemol Shine but retains consultancy role on Offspring
One of Australia’s most experienced television producers, John Edwards, is to depart production company Endemol Shine, the company announced this afternoon.
Edwards is behind some of Australia’s biggest TV shows, including Offspring, The Secret Life of Us and Police Rescue.
His departure comes just months after the merger of production companies Endemol and Shine Australia.
In a statement, Endemol Shine’s joint CEOs Mark and Carl Fennessy said: “John Edwards is a true industry legend and one of the finest producers in the country. John leaves us on the very best of terms. We thank him for his many years working with Endemol and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Endemol Shine was quick to emphasise that Edwards will continue on as a creative consultant for Offspring which has just been recommissioned by Network Ten for its 2016 program slate.
The company said he would work with Imogen Banks and the production team in 2016 as well continuing to work with Endemol Shine Australia on a number of other scripted projects.
“The time has come for me to go out on my own, I’m very excited to be building a new business. I look forward to working together with ESA on Offspring and other future opportunities as they emerge,” said Edwards.
He departure comes less than a week after he gave the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture where he took aim at the TV production industry, describing it as having “run itself into a stagnant billabong”.
Edwards warned that TV networks are opting for the safe route by commissioning only short eight-to-ten episode series and he has also chastised local television producers for the size of the budgets they expect.
When Endemol and Shine Australia merged, back in July, there were thought to be around 40 redundancies with the production company emphasising at the time how the senior television producer was remaining with the company.
Nic Christensen
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