Netflix forms UK team for live programming, hires 'Masked Singer UK' exec

Netflix’s top executive in charge of live unscripted programming seems to have left in the USA but in the UK, the streaming service is eager to elevate live shows and impressive productions.

Sources inform us that Netflix UK has recently established a team dedicated to live unscripted content, led by The Circle executive Daisy Lilley. 

Lilley has temporarily brought in Claire Horton, a respected unscripted producer with executive producer credits on The Masked Singer UK, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, and All Together Now. 

She previously worked as an ITV commissioning editor and entertainment head for ITV Studios.

Insiders reveal that Netflix has been exploring new live programming prospects in the UK over recent months. 

Opportunities could include live sports, event shows, or talent competitions. Lilley’s team is currently in charge of the upcoming boxing match between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov, set to stream from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Netflix next month. 

Lilley has been part of the UK unscripted Netflix team for almost six years, having worked on The Circle at Studio Lambert, which gained international success for Netflix.

Recent shows that fit well with Lilley’s objective include Skyscraper Live and Building the Band, both commissioned in the United States but produced by UK’s Plimsoll Productions and Remarkable. 

Skyscraper Live featured Free Solo climber Alex Honnold scaling the Taiwanese skyscraper Taipei 101 without ropes, which was considered the tallest urban unsupervised climb. 

It generated significant buzz and brought high ratings and attention to Netflix. Building the Band marked one of Netflix’s early ventures into large-scale music talent competitions and was posthumously dedicated to judge Liam Payne, who passed away shortly after filming.

As a result, live shows and impressive floor productions seem to be the growing focus of the Netflix UK unscripted team, responsible for hits like Too Hot to Handle, The Circle, and Celebrity Bear Hunt. 

The team is soon set to welcome its new leader Syeda Irtizaali, known for commissioning The Traitors and transitioning from the BBC.