NBCU’s Corie Henson Floats New “Aggressive” Co-Pro Model To Help Counter Spiraling Entertainment Budgets

NBCUniversal and the BBC‘s co-pro partnership has reaped rewards by birthing The Traitors and the former is pondering how to expand the model in a world of squeezed budgets.

Corie Henson, who is EVP, Unscripted Content, Competition and Game Shows, NBCUniversal Entertainment told Content London her team is in conversation with potential partners and is thinking about “even more aggressive” models whereby multiple co-pro partners would commission a single show.

“If they’re all English-language speaking networks then we could just do one version,” she said. “Then you go from [spending] $3M to a $1.5M big spectacle of, say, a singing show. That extends the lifeline of a show if you don’t have to go back to everyone and justify how much that costs.”

Henson said NBCUniversal already seeks to adopt this model in some senses by ‘hubbing’, which has become more commonplace, while many of its productions are shot abroad. Streamers such as Netflix have commissioned English-language shows in recent years like Too Hot to Handle, which bring together contestants from all over the world and air globally.

The Traitors, which has been renewed through season five for streamer Peacock, was the first show to emerge from the BBC-NBCU partnership and has been a smash hit. It is produced by Studio Lambert in both the UK and on Peacock and has now been running for multiple seasons on both. Destination X, an original Belgian format, is the next from the partnership.

“Cut out the middle bit”

While partnerships and adaptations are key, Henson, who oversees competition series and formats across NBC and Peacock, as well as, for the time being, cable networks including Bravo, E! and USA Network, said she is still open to developing paper formats. She recently said the team bought a paper format “that came in fully packaged with a vision, distinct voice and great piece of talent who has not done TV before.”

When pitching, she urged producers to “cut out the middle bit.”

“Come in with big ‘holy sh*t’ ideas or a really smart utility player,” said Henson. “It’s the stuff in between that you need to cut out.”

Over the next couple years, she wants to order a paper format “that connects people, not in a sappy way but it’s more about finding shows that bring people together, create a conversation and truly connect people.”

On Tuesday, ITV America boss David George revealed that Peacock and ITV America are in conversation over a third Love Island spin-off. Henson didn’t elaborate on the spin-off, only saying: “We’re always open to more Love Island.”