Fever Media's Richard Hopkins Passes Away
LONDON, January 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Sony Music today announced that Richard Hopkins died on Saturday 7th January at the age of 47. Richard was co-founder and joint managing director of Fever Media, a joint venture television company with Sony Music.
Richard was one of the most gifted TV producers of his generation. His CV is a long list of some of the most successful shows of the last twenty years. He was the Executive Producer of Fame Academy, The Big Breakfast and Fear Factor. As a series producer he worked on the BAFTA award winning first series of Big Brother and was series producer of the ground breaking comedy series the 11 O'Clock Show.
Richard developed, pitched and went onto produce Strictly Come Dancing, which has won numerous awards and has been officially recognised as the world's most successful reality TV format. The format has sold to well over 30 different countries and it was Richard's personal persistence and unique mixture of charm and persuasiveness that first got the show sold in America. Richard then went to America to executive produce the show which was rechristened Dancing With The Stars for the ABC network. To this day it remains one of the most successful shows on American Television.
Having run Format Entertainment at the BBC between 2003 and 2006 he then went onto launch Fever Media with David Mortimer in April 2006. Over the last 6 years the company has made a host of programmes for broadcasters in the UK and around the world, many of which Richard executive produced, including The People's Quiz, Move Like Michael Jackson and most recently Catch for American television.
Fever Media joint managing director David Mortimer says: "Television is by its nature an ephemeral business, so very few of us can hope to have any lasting legacy. Richard was a glorious exception to this rule, and as one of the greatest producers of his generation he quite literally got the world dancing. I was privileged to be both his business partner and friend and my heart goes out to his wife Katy and his three beautiful girls, Angelica, Joséphine and Julianna."
For further information :
Paul Bursche
Director of Communications
Sony Music UK & Ireland
E : paul.bursche@sonymusic.com
T: + 44-207-361-8033
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