Bob McCourt Exiting ‘Got Talent’ Maker Fremantle After 28 Years

EXCLUSIVE: Fremantle‘s long-serving C-suiter Bob McCourt is leaving the Got Talent maker after nearly three decades.

We’ve got word McCourt, who is Fremantle’s COO of Commercial and International, is stepping down at the end of July amid a restructure. There’s no word yet on whether he’ll be replaced.

Jens Richter, Fremantle’s CEO of Commercial and International, confirmed McCourt’s exit and issued this statement to Deadline: “After 28 remarkable years at Fremantle, Bob McCourt will be leaving his role as COO, Commercial and International at the end of July. We are incredibly grateful for his longstanding contribution to the business and the impact he has made to the company over nearly three decades.

“His affable, commercial and can-do approach has been a big reason for the success of our division over the years, and he has been an invaluable advocate for Fremantle and its values and culture. We want to thank Bob for all his achievements as we wish him every success for the future.”

McCourt joined Pearson Television, an early incarnation of Fremantle, in 1998 in the finance department and steadily worked his way up the ranks, becoming one of the most-liked execs within the company.

Following a series of operations and finance roles within RTL-owned Fremantle’s commercial divisions, he became acting CEO of Fremantle International between July 2013 and December 2014 after the exit of David Ellender.

He was then named COO of the international division when Jens Richter stepped into the CEO and has remained in post ever since, adding oversight of Fremantle’s commercial unit along the way. The role sees him in charge of all strategic, commercial, business affairs, sales and content acquisition activity globally.

Fremantle, which is based in London, makes entertainment shows such as The X Factor, Idols, Got Talent, The Piano, Too Hot to Handle, Family Feud, The Price is Right and Catchphrase and is behind scripted shows such as American Gods, My Brilliant Friend, Sandokan, Deutschland 83 and The Young Pope. It also pushed into feature films, helping to finance and produce Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, but decided earlier this year to exit the space earlier this year.

McCourt becomes the latest high-profile departure from Fremantle this year, following drama chief Christian Vesper and entertainment boss Andrew Llinares, with the latter later replaced by Ben Crompton.