‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ Producer Studio Lambert Promotes Trio As Drama Boss Sue Hogg Steps Back

EXCLUSIVE: Squid Game: The Challenge producer Studio Lambert has promoted a trio of senior execs as drama boss Sue Hogg steps back from the day to day.

Longserving Squid Game: The Challenge EP Tim Harcourt is being upped to Chief Creative Officer, Gogglebox exec Mike Cotton takes on Creative Director (Unscripted) and Maddie Sinclair, the exec behind BBC Three’s upcoming Boarders comedy-drama, is promoted to Creative Director (Scripted).

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Sinclair’s promotion comes with Hogg, the founder of Studio Lambert’s drama department nearly a decade ago, choosing to step back from her full-time role to focus on individual projects, including Boarders. She will take on the new post of Creative Consultant. Since joining, Hogg has helmed the likes of BBC trio Three Girls, Three Families and The Nest, along with Amazon Prime Video’s The Feed. Drama is a focus for Studio Lambert and CEO Stephen Lambert told Deadline recently he hopes Boarders will become the outfit’s first returning scripted series.

L to R: Tim Harcourt, Maddie Sinclair, Mike Cotton. Image: Studio Lambert
L to R: Tim Harcourt, Maddie Sinclair, Mike Cotton. Image: Studio Lambert

Harcourt has been Creative Director for 10 years, shepherding the likes of Race Across the World and The Circle, along with the Squid Game competition show that has been dominating Netflix’s global charts. Cotton is best known for his work on Channel 4 returner Gogglebox.

“Tim is an outstanding creative leader and has been my partner in the business since 2020,” said Lambert.  “He and I are delighted Mike and Maddie are taking on creative director roles, something which reflects the responsibility and creative work they have been doing for some time now. We are also very grateful to Sue for establishing us as a producer of high-quality drama programmes and we are very glad she will continue her relationship with our company.”

Studio Lambert has plenty in the offing with new seasons of The Traitors for the BBC and Peacock, more The Circle for Netflix, and French and German versions of another Netflix format, Surviving Paradise.

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