John Saade, ABC's executive VP of alternative series and
late-night programming is departing the network, an ABC spokesperson confirmed
Friday.
Saade had held the role since 2011 after serving as senior
VP since 2009. In his tenure he helped oversee Dancing with the Stars, Shark Tank, Wipeout, The Bachelor, The
Bachelorette, Secret Millionaire and Extreme
Makeover as well as the Oscars, the Emmys and was part of the team that helped
launch Jimmy Kimmel Live.
"John is a very talented executive who has made enormous
contributions to ABC and the reality genre, developing some truly innovative,
buzz worthy programming and growing some of our most important franchises,"
said Paul Lee, ABC Entertainment Group president. "We will miss his passion and
enthusiasm and wish him nothing but the very best."
Saade's exit comes as ABC has struggled, like all of the
broadcast networks, to pop any new reality hits (though its flagship Dancing with the Starsjust returned up28% in its season premiere ).
He is also the third network reality chief to step down this summer following
Fox's Mike Darnell, who landed at Warner Bros., and CBS' Jennifer Bresnan, who
relocated to New York.
The Hollywood Reporter
first reported the story.
ABC said a replacement is to be announced.
