The full lineup for Deadline’s Reality TV Summit has been unveiled, with highlights including a keynote from one of the genre’s most influential figures of the past two decades, Andy Cohen, and panels featuring leading executives from the streamers, broadcasters and cable networks as well as top-tier talent and producers.
The summit takes place Friday, May 1 beginning at 1 p.m. PT at Lumen West LA (11355 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064). The curated audience will consist of industry professionals and FYC voters across the TV Academy and guilds. The idea is to bring together the best and the brightest in the business to discuss the future of the unscripted sector. You can find more details on tickets below.
Cohen’s keynote comes as The Real Housewives franchise he executive produces celebrates its 20th anniversary. The unscripted franchise, arguably one of the most successful of all time, has had around a dozen U.S. iterations, a plethora of international versions and more than 30 spinoffs.
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The Emmy winner will discuss RH‘s most recent launch, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, which premiered earlier this month; the business of the enduring franchise; the success of Watch What Happens Live!, his late-night show that is the go-to-destination for reality stars and other A-listers such as Jon Hamm discussing the latest Summer House drama; as well as his other ventures such as Radio Andy.
He will be joined in the lineup by the leading executives from streamers at Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Peacock; broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, Fox and The CW; plus cable groups including A+E Global Media and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Executives include Jeff Gaspin, VP, Unscripted at Netflix; Amazon’s Head of Unscripted and Documentary Television Jenn Levy; Rob Mills, EVP, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment at Walt Disney Television; Mitch Graham, EVP, Alternative Programming at CBS; Rachel Smith, EVP, Unscripted Content, Lifestyle and Documentaries at NBCUniversal; and Allison Wallach, Head of Unscripted Programming at Fox Entertainment Studios.
Others to be featured are Jason Sarlanis, President of TNT, TBS, TruTV, ID & HLN, Linear and Streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery; Heather Olander, Head of Unscripted Programming at The CW and Eli Lehrer, EVP and Head of Programming at The History Channel.
There will also be stars from top shows including Joel McHale, who hosts Fox game show The 1% Club; Jay Pharoah, host of Fox’s The Quiz With Balls; and Kristen Kish, who hosts Bravo’s Top Chef.
Producers behind some of the biggest unscripted series on television and streaming will also join to discuss the highs and lows of making reality shows.
Among the panels will be a focus on “How to Have a Hit Reality Series,” with Alex Baskin, who runs Vanderpump Rules producer 32 Flavors; Jeff Jenkins, president of Jeff Jenkins Productions, the company behind Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives; Carlos King, founder of Kingdom Reign Entertainment, which is behind the Love & Marriage franchise; Julie Pizzi, president and CEO of Bunim/Murray Productions, which makes Below Deck and Vanderpump Villa; and Steven Weinstock, co-president and CEO of Summer House producer Truly Original.
Looking at the state of dating shows, the panel “Love on Television” will feature David Eilenberg, creative director of Love Island USA producer ITV America’ Jazzy Collins, founder of Forced Perspective, who has cast shows including The Bachelor; Jennifer O’Connell, co-founder and co-CEO of Velvet Hammer Media, which is behind Netflix’s Age of Attraction; and SallyAnn Salsano, founder of Jersey Shore producer 495 Productions, which is behind Fox’s The Snake.