‘The Only Way Is Essex’ Producer Lime Signs Former Viacom International Studios Boss

Max Goldbart
·1 min read

The Only Way is Essex producer Lime Pictures has snapped up one of the highest-profile execs to have left Paramount Global’s UK unscripted arm following its closure.

Joe McLusky, who was Viacom International Studios’ (VIS) Vice President and General Manager, Non-Scripted, has become Lime’s Director of Production Unscripted, replacing now-Monkey MD Helen Kruger Bratt. He will oversee all UK unscripted production across Lime Pictures and its All3Media stablemates Lion Television and Wise Owl Films.

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McLusky is an experienced exec who has previously worked for Lime along with ITV Studios, Shine and Granada. At VIS, he oversaw a team making hundreds of hours of shows per year, mostly for Paramount network Channel 5 and MTV, including the likes of Cruising with Jane McDonald and Catfish UK. That team was closed earlier this year amidst Paramount Global layoffs, leading to around 20 redundancies, with other high-profile exits including Oliver Wright, who launched his own All3Media-backed indie, and talent boss Simon Shearer-Wright, who moved to CPL Productions.

McLusky’s new employer Lime, which also makes Hollyoaks, Geordie Shore and Netflix’s Dance Monsters, recently restructured following the exit of Sarah Tyekiff, forging a new popular factual division with Lion and Wise Owl. Mirella Breda then joined as Chief Creative Officer, Unscripted.

Lime Joint MDs Claire Poyser and Kate Little hailed McLusky’s “phenomenal production experience,” while McLusky said he has been given the opportunity to “oversee such a fantastic slate.”

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