Benidorm Commissioner Michaela Hennessy-Vass Joins DLT Entertainment
London 10 November 2011. Award winning production and distribution company DLT Entertainment has appointed former ITV Comedy Commissioning Editor Michaela Hennessy-Vass to join its London based development team.
Hennessy-Vass will assume the position of Executive Producer from mid-November, reporting to DLT President, Don Taffner Jr. Michaela joins DLT Entertainment with an extensive and award-winning experience in comedy, drama and more recently children’s programming which she will bring to DLT as she develops new projects for the UK and US based company.
Throughout her twenty years at ITV (the last eight of which were on the commissioning team), Michaela worked across an impressive roster of programming becoming Comedy Commissioning Editor in 2007 responsible for top rating programmes such as Benidorm, Ladies of Letters and Bad Mother’s Handbook. In 2010 she left ITV to work as Development Consultant with Leopardrama. She has just produced a 26 part, international co-production live action children’s comedy for Talent Television, for transmission next year on ITV.
In response to broadcasters increased appetite for comedy, DLT has been expanding its comedy development team with the appointment of Rohan Acharya (White Van Man) and former head of BBC comedy north John Mountague to work alongside John Bartlett who produced MY FAMILY for DLT. Michaela’s experience of not only developing programmes as a producer but also from the other side of the table as a commissioner, makes Hennessy-Vass a unique addition to the DLT family.
Don Taffner Jr, commented: “Michaela has a great eye for comedy which she has demonstrated time after time having developed and commissioned some of ITV’s most successful programmes such as Benidorm. She is well regarded by the creative community making her a great addition to our development team in London, further advancing our ambitions following our recent expansion in Manchester with the appointment of Jon Mountague.”
Hennessy-Vass said: “I'm thrilled to be joining Don Taffner and his accomplished team and I look forward to developing and producing some fantastic comedy. This is a wonderful opportunity and I can't wait to work with such a significant player in the industry and the best talent this country has to offer.”
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About DLT Entertainment
With offices in London, New York and Los Angeles, DLT Entertainment Ltd. is engaged in every aspect of television distribution and production around the world, as well as stage production in the US and in the UK.
Founded in 1963 as a distribution company by Don Taffner Senior, the company added television production to its portfolio in 1977. DLT Entertainment has enjoyed terrific success over the last forty plus years with legendary hits including the multiple award-winning sitcom My Family, As Time Goes By, Three’s Company, Too Close For Comfort and Meet My Folks. In addition DLT has built a reputation as a leading distribution company with classics such as The Benny Hill Show, The World at War, The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood and The Russ Abbot Show.