Pearlena Igbokwe Adds Universal Television Alternative Studio to Her Universal Studio Group

Will Thorne
·2 min read
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After outlining her exec team, recently appointed Universal Studio Group chief Pearlena Igbokwe is adding another studio to that group.

Igbokwe has announced, via a letter obtained by Variety, that the Universal Television Alternative Studios is being incorporated into Universal Studio Group. As part of the move, UTAS president Toby Gorman is joining Igbokwe’s leadership team and will continue to oversee the studio’s biggest shows, including “Making It,” “The Wall,” “The Titan Games,” “Songland” and “World of Dance.”

UTAS was previously overseen Meredith Ahr, who left NBC earlier this week. Her exit came little over two months after NBC Entertainment head Paul Telegdy left the company over accusations of racist, sexist and homophobic behavior.

The transition is the latest sign of the seismic corporate restructure happening at the top of NBCU. Igbokwe took over the NBCU TV reins from Bonnie Hammer last month, as the latter into the NBCU vice chairman role vacated by Ron Meyer.

Read the full note from Igbokwe below:

Hey Everyone,

Please join me in welcoming the Universal Television Alternative Studios team to our Universal Studio Group family!

Beginning today, UTAS will be moving under our studio group umbrella and studio president Toby Gorman will join my USG leadership team. Toby will continue to oversee development, domestic sales strategy and creative affairs, while collaborating closely across all areas of production, casting, business affairs and international commercial development for UTAS.

In the last few years, UTAS has grown its unscripted and alternative formats slate exponentially adding series like “The Wall,” “World of Dance,” “The Titan Games,” “Songland” and “Making It” to their roster. They also house numerous overall deals with some talent straddling unscripted and scripted projects across UTAS and Universal Television.

Now, with UTV, UCP, NBCUniversal International Studios and UTAS under the same umbrella we can further support our creators’ ambitions to develop and produce great television – no matter the format.

We are so lucky to be adding Toby and his innovative team to our studio group and I look forward to collaborating with everyone at UTAS to further ignite our unscripted business.

Pearlena

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