Julian Linley, editor of Heat magazine, is to leave after just over a year to take the newly created role of creative director Bauer Media’s lifestyle and entertainment division.
The new post has been created for Linley to create TV spin-offs from the publisher’s magazine titles.
Bauer, which also publishes mens’ titles FHM and Zoo, currently has production agreements with Endemol and Prospect Pictures, and projects in development with both companies for major broadcasters. It has also recently developed a production arrangement with Talkback Thames.
Linley’s immediate aim will be to bring two existing projects based on Bauer brands to the screen.
The first, codenamed ‘Project Jackpot’ has a pilot programme in production while ‘Project Tower’ has been developed over the last 12 months, in association with Endemol, and its already understood to have the backing of a major broadcaster.
Linley joined Heat in 2000 as part of the relaunch under Mark Frith, whom he succeeded as editor last year following his successful tenure launching then editing website Heatworld.com.
He is expected to take up his new role in the next couple of weeks. Until a successor is announced deputy editor Jeremy Mark will step up to edit Heat magazine and oversee heatworld.com.
David Davies, managing director of Bauer Media’s women’s lifestyle and entertainment brands, said: “We have reached the point where there is clearly an opportunity for us to extend our brands on to television through co-production deals with some of the very best production companies.
“To see these through to broadcast it is clear that we now need to dedicate top quality creative resource. Julian was the obvious choice.”
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