A division of Banijay, the world’s largest international content producer and distributor, Banijay Americas includes six subsidiary production companies in the U.S., including Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original, 51 Minds Entertainment, Authentic Entertainment and Stephen David Entertainment.
A division of Banijay, the world’s largest international content producer and distributor, Banijay Americas includes six subsidiary production companies in the U.S., including Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original, 51 Minds Entertainment, Authentic Entertainment and Stephen David Entertainment.

Sharon Levy Elevated to Chief Content Officer at Endemol Shine North America

Press Release

February 1, 2021

Levy Continues Leading All Unscripted and Scripted Programming For LA-Based Production Company

Sharon Levy has been elevated to Chief Content Officer, Endemol Shine North America, it was announced today by Cris Abrego, Chairman of the Americas, Banijay, and President and CEO, Endemol Shine Holdings.

Since joining Banijay-owned Endemol Shine North America in October 2017, Levy has successfully transformed the studio’s programming team and developed original series with such marquis talent as Will Arnett, John Cena, Nicole Byer, Keke Palmer, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Gal Gadot, John Cusack, Steve Zaillian, Gillian Flynn and many more.

Levy, who was formerly President, Unscripted and Scripted Television for Endemol Shine North America, is preparing to launch the reboot of Wipeout at TBS and drama Ripley for Showtime and has overseen the launch of numerous hits during her three-year tenure, including recently renewed LEGO Masters at FOX. And Disney+ just announced it has ordered Foodtastic from Levy’s team, an unscripted competition series that features contestants creating larger-than-life, Disney-inspired works of art made out of all types of food.

Levy has also reconfigured the studio’s LA-based programming team to work closer with Banijay’s myriad global production companies and created a development slate that features both scripted and unscripted projects from co-owned labels worldwide.

“Since arriving three years ago, Sharon has successfully transformed our team’s development and production efforts, creating both unscripted and scripted hits for a wide array of networks and platforms,” says Abrego. “I’m thrilled that she will continue leading our content team and I know that she has an exciting, ambitious slate of new series that we will be rolling out in the coming months.”

“We are clearly building something special and yes, I’m thrilled to continue working alongside Cris, my world-class team here in Los Angeles and all of our Banijay colleagues across the globe,” says Levy. “We enter 2021 with a lot of momentum—several big shows in production and a deep development slate that we have been assembling since I first arrived.”

Levy is currently overseeing post-production on Wipeout, featuring new hosts John Cena and Nicole Byer and expected to launch on TBS later this year. She’s also leading Endemol Shine’s efforts for Ripley at Showtime, which is based on Patricia Highsmith’s bestselling novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” The series is being written and directed by Oscar-winner Steve Zaillian and stars Fleabag’s Andrew Scott.

Production began last week on Foodtastic, which is hosted and executive produced by Keke Palmer and set to debut later this year on Disney+. And cameras will once again be rolling on LEGO Masters, which was renewed for a second season by FOX and is hosted by Will Arnett.

Levy is also leading the U.S. development of Queens with the team at Endemol Shine Israel and Gal Gadot and Jaron Varsano’s studio Pilot Wave. Queens is based on Endemol Shine Israel’s hit drama series of the same name. Other projects in development include a TV version of the classic Hasbro game Guess Who? with Allspark Pictures and a domino-based unscripted series with YouTube sensation Lily Hevesh.

In 2020, Levy and her team launched numerous series with top broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, including reboots of The Biggest Loser (USA Network), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (HGTV), as well as the launch of new competition series LEGO Masters on FOX.

Levy also oversaw the launch of several high-profile scripted series, including Utopia for Amazon Prime Video, a thriller based on Kudos’ hit UK series of the same name. And she recently led the sale and development of Almost Family at FOX, which was based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters and produced in the U.S. by Jason Katims and Annie Weisman.

Levy and her team oversee Endemol Shine’s top-rated food competition franchise MasterChef, with the 11th season of MasterChef and eighth season of MasterChef Junior, both expected to debut later this year on FOX.

Prior to joining Endemol Shine, Levy served as Executive Vice President of Original Series for Spike TV, where she successfully built the network’s brand with hit unscripted and scripted series, as well as acclaimed documentaries.

During her seven years as Executive Vice President, Original Series at Spike TV, Levy oversaw the acquisition, creation and production of all entertainment throughout the network’s evolution. Levy transformed Spike’s programming lineup with hits such as “Ink Master,” “Bar Rescue,” “Auction Hunters” and “Deadliest Warrior.”