Banijay Entertainment has confirmed its newly combined structure across the Americas, with Ben Samek named Chief Executive Officer of Banijay America following the recent merger with All3Media.
As CEO, Samek will report to Jane Turton, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Banijay Entertainment, to drive regional growth across the core content business, while accelerating the organisation’s established efforts in digital, live and sports.
Alongside its combined production company portfolio, Banijay America will now house Turnkey Studio Services (TSS), the centralised production services business led by Justin Medeiros as EVP of Production and Jacob Cohen-Holmes as Head of Current Programming. Having previously led a similar operation within All3Media America, the pair will provide ongoing production support and studio services for Banijay Entertainment’s global stable of producers, including Studio Lambert, which has long used the service for productions including The Circle for Netflix, Undercover Boss for CBS and The Mob for Hulu. TSS will also support other shows across the portfolio such as Homestead Rescue: Intervention for Discovery and HBO Max, Arizona Hot (wt) for Netflix and Body in the Basement for Discovery ID/HBO. Over time, the service will also be extended to third-party labels outside of the group.
“Both businesses were built on the same principle, to back exceptional producers and bold ideas,” said Ben Samek, CEO, Banijay America. “Bringing them together gives us greater scale and expanded capabilities in the U.S. market. Our goal is clear: to build enduring franchises that can travel the world and connect with audiences across platforms and experiences. We will remain entrepreneurial and disciplined, investing with clear intent and backing the storytellers and ideas that can create lasting value for the business. I look forward to pursuing that ambition alongside Jane and our colleagues at Banijay Entertainment.”
“Ben is a hugely experienced leader who has grown and diversified Banijay America, adding a fast developing live, digital and sport business to its world class tv production. We produce many of America’s biggest entertainment brands and I am looking forward to working with him and the team as we grow the slate and continue to broaden out the business. Banijay America is an incredible platform for talent and IP and the merger of the two businesses is an exciting time for us to invest for growth,” adds Jane Turton, Deputy CEO, Banijay Entertainment.
Banijay America now supports across major entertainment franchises. The slate includes Big Brother (CBS), Endemol Shine North America’s MasterChef (FOX), Lego Masters (FOX) and Fear Factor: House of Fear (FOX), and Bravo hits including 51 Minds’ Below Deck and Truly Original’s Emmy nominated Summer House. The combined business adds Lion TV’s Body in the Basement, Game Day Murders and Mean Girl Murders (ID), Raw’s Homestead Rescue: Intervention (Discovery) and Objective Media Group America’s Worst Cooks in America (Food Network). Upcoming titles include Bunim Murray Productions’ Simon Says (Netflix) and Predator vs. Prey with Alan Ritchson, Bright Spot Content’s Arizona Hot (wt) for Netflix, and a new season of Somebody Feed Phil (YouTube, 2027).
In line with the Banijay America integration, Banijay Entertainment has also launched Banijay Latin America, dedicated to housing its production businesses and activities in the region. Laurens Drillich has been appointed CEO, with Samek continuing to serve as a board member and consultant to the group.
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