Sharon Levy Exits as CEO of Endemol Shine North America

Sharon Levy is leaving Endemol Shine North America after nearly a decade at the company, including her most recent stint as CEO. Her exit follows the completion this summer of the $8 billion merger between Banijay and All3Media, with Banijay Americas CEO Ben Samek now overseeing the combined company's U.S. entity.

A Banijay Americas spokesperson addressed the departure directly in a statement. "Sharon has played an integral role in building ESNA into the creative powerhouse it is today, and her influence has been felt across Banijay America and the wider Banijay group," the spokesperson said. "She has built a varied and healthy slate of titles that continue to thrive year-over year, spanning global franchises, creative IP extensions and scripted hits. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and vision, and on behalf of our colleagues globally, we wish her every success in the next chapter of her career."

As CEO, Levy led the independent production company's output, which spans unscripted series including "Lego Masters," "MasterChef" and "Deal or No Deal," as well as Netflix's scripted series "Ripley." She joined Endemol Shine North America in 2017 as president, unscripted and scripted TV.

Her rise through the ranks was steady. In 2021, the company named her chief content officer. Two years later, in 2023, she moved up to CEO as Endemol Shine North America shifted from its dual role as a studio and Banijay Americas' holding company to solely an independent production company.

Levy's oversight extended well beyond the Emmy Award-nominated "Lego Masters" and the "MasterChef" and "MasterChef Junior" franchises on Fox. Her portfolio included TBS's revamped "Wipeout," USA/Peacock's "The Courtship," the revived "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" for ABC, "Fear Factor: House of Fear" at Fox, "Deal or No Deal Island" at NBC and "The Summit" on CBS.

Before joining Endemol Shine, Levy spent seven years as executive vice president of original series for Spike TV. There she led acquisition, creation and production of the network's entertainment slate, with shows including "Ink Master," "Bar Rescue," "Auction Hunters" and "Deadliest Warrior."

Deadline first reported the news of Levy's departure.\n With Samek consolidating control over the combined U.S. operations, the exit signals how quickly the Banijay-All3Media merger is reshaping leadership across the newly enlarged group's American production companies.