EXCLUSIVE: Roku has quickly found its new scripted boss.
The free-ad supported streaming service has promoted Brian Tannenbaum to oversee scripted content following news of Colin Davis’ departure to Sony Pictures Television. Deadline understands that he will initially take on the role on an interim basis, but sources suggest that he will likely get the job on a permanent basis.
Deadline revealed earlier this afternoon that Davis, who was Head of Scripted Originals, is joining the studio as EVP, Comedy Development.
Tannenbaum has spent the last couple of years as Head of Alternative Originals and will now oversee all original programming for the service. It’s believed that he will become Head of Originals, after David Eilenberg was upped to Head of Content at Roku Media, following the departure of Rob Holmes earlier this year.
Tannenbaum has overseen Roku Originals such as Ellie Kemper-fronted The Great American Baking Show, Chrissy Teigen’s Chrissy’s Court and Connie Britton-narrated Mamas during his role as head of non-scripted programming.
Previously, he spent two years at short-lived, short-form platform Quibi between October 2018 and November 2020 and was responsible for managing a slate of over 50 shows including Jennifer Lopez’s Thanks A Million, Chance the Rapper’s reboot of Punk’d, Will Smith’s stand up series This Joka, the Keke Palmer-fronted reboot of Singled Out and Joe Jonas’ Cup of Joe.
Prior to joining Quibi, Tannenbaum served as SVP, Creative and Business Affairs, Alternative Programming at Lionsgate, where he worked on series including YouTube’s Kevin Hart: What the Fit, Netflix’s Selling Sunset and Facebook Watch’s Kim Kardashian West-exec produced You Kiddin’ Me.
Roku declined to comment.
