Amy Israel, the head of scripted at Showtime, is stepping down, PvNew has learned.
Israel’s formal title is executive vice president of global programming. She will remain with Showtime through the end of the year in a transitional role. The announcement of her departure was made by Paramount‘s Chris McCarthy and Nina L. Diaz.
“For the past 12 years, Amy has been an integral part of the creative team and the driving force behind some of Showtime’s most iconic franchises,” McCarthy and Diaz wrote in a memo to their staff. “From the beloved ‘Billions’ to the bold hit ‘Yellowjackets,’ Amy’s love for mentoring staff as well as her ability to nurture and foster talent toward realizing their vision is nothing short of inspiring. Her instrumental role in bringing upcoming, fresh and groundbreaking series like ‘The Curse’ and ‘Fellow Travelers’ to life is a testament to her unwavering dedication and devotion.”
The full memo can be read below.
News of Israel’s exit comes around seven months after it was announced that Showtime’s team would be merging with sister brand MTV Entertainment Studios as part of the move to rebrand Paramount+ as Paramount+ With Showtime. Diaz expanded her role as Chief Creative Officer & President of Content at the time, with Israel reporting to her. Showtime co-presidents Gary Levine and Jano Winograde had already stepped down prior to that announcement, though Levine remains with Showtime in an advisory role.
Israel originally joined Showtime in 2011. In her time with the premium cabler, she has spearheaded creative oversight on shows like “The Good Lord Bird,” “Masters of Sex,” “SMILF,” and “The Affair” in addition to many others.
Prior to Showtime, Israel was executive vice president of production at New Regency. Prior to that, she was head of production and acquisitions for Paramount Vantage and co-head of acquisitions and co-production at Miramax.
Israel has also worked as a producer, including work on projects like Andrew Niccol’s “In Time” starring Justin Timberlake and “Shall We Dance” starring Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez.
Full memo from Chris McCarthy and Nina Diaz:
We have both a bittersweet and an appreciative announcement to share with you – our dear colleague and friend, Amy Israel is stepping down from her role as SHOWTIME’s Head of scripted today.
For the past 12 years, Amy has been an integral part of the creative team and the driving force behind some of SHOWTIME’s most iconic franchises. From the beloved Billions to the bold hit Yellowjackets, Amy’s love for mentoring staff as well as her ability to nurture and foster talent toward realizing their vision is nothing short of inspiring. Her instrumental role in bringing upcoming, fresh and groundbreaking series like The Curse and Fellow Travelers to life is a testament to her unwavering dedication and devotion.
Under Amy’s guiding influence, the SHOWTIME creative team has played a pivotal role in Paramount’s mission to unleash the power of unique premium global content. The success of Paramount+’s Halo series is a prime example of the wide-reaching impact her creative leadership and team have had on our business. Amy’s passion for the craft, her flair for pushing creative boundaries and commitment to excellence have left an indelible mark on SHOWTIME.
But not to worry, Amy will be with us through the end of the year in a transition role. She leaves us in incredible hands with an exceptionally talented group of creatives under Nina’s leadership who will continue to thrive and deliver SHOWTIME premium content that connects deeply with audiences everywhere. And of course, we have Gary – the Godfather of SHOWTIME series – with us as our Senior Creative Advisor.
Please join us in thanking Amy for her remarkable contributions – we wish her much success, happiness and creative fulfillment in her new journey!
Nina and Chris
