Entertainment One Ramps Up Unscripted Plans in Europe With Double Exec Hire

By Stewart Clarke

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Entertainment One has hired Matt Pritchard and Matt Walton to boost its unscripted business in the U.K. and wider Europe.

Independent production and distribution group eOne has been making moves into the unscripted space of late, buying Daisybeck Entertainment. It also owns another U.K. producer, Whizz Kid Entertainment.

Pritchard and Walton will both be unscripted EVPs and based in London. They will jointly build a new development and production unit and manage eOne’s relationships with networks, producers, and talent.

They both report to Tara Long, eOne’s president of global unscripted. “With equally impressive backgrounds and their shared experience building some of the biggest unscripted hits and formats to come out of the U.K., we are eager to have Matt and Matt bring this expertise to our international unscripted team,” she said.

Pritchard joins from Boomerang, where he was managing director. While there, he oversaw the successful launches of shows including “What Would Your Kid Do?” for ITV and “Extreme Cake Makers” for Channel 4. Prior to that, he was the group director of development at Twofour, where he helped create “The Jump” and “This Time Next Year.”

Walton joins from -owned producer 12 Yard. His credits include “Coach Trip” and “Big Star’s Little Star.”

Pictured L-to-R: Pritchard and Walton.