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NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell is departing the company following an investigation into misconduct involving an “inappropriate relationship.”
Comcast and Shell jointly announced the news Sunday in a statement that noted the two have mutually agreed on the decision. Shell will depart effective immediately.
“I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret,” Shell said in his own statement. “I’m truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down, they are the most talented people in the business and the opportunity to work with them the last 19 years has been a privilege.”
The media executive has helmed the company since assuming the role of CEO on Jan. 1, 2020, and reported to Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts directly. Shell was first announced as the successor to NBCUniversal’s previous CEO, Steve Burke, in December 2019. A source tells The Hollywood Reporter that Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast, is expected to assume a larger role for the time being.
In the role of CEO, Shell was responsible for overseeing the company’s wide portfolio, which includes news and entertainment television networks, the Universal film studio, as well as significant TV and sports production operations, the television stations group, theme parks and more.
Even those inside Universal were shocked by the announcement of Shell’s departure, which follows a company-led investigation conducted by outside counsel into a complaint of inappropriate conduct. “We’re dealing with this in real-time,” says one exec. “Absolutely reeling,” says another Universal insider. Internally, many considered him to be straightforward, deeply involved and supportive of his business and leadership team.
Hollywood doesn’t like interlopers, so Shell had to win the town over when he was named chair of Universal’s movie studio in 2013 after running NBCU’s international operations for a decade. He was seen more as a business suit than a studio mogul, and had little direct experience when it came to running a film empire. But that view has changed in the time since.
On the film side, Shell’s vision had an enormous impact on the entire industry. Early on and even before the company launched its streaming service Peacock, he was a fierce advocate of collapsing theatrical windows so that a title could be made available earlier in the home. When the pandemic struck, Universal Filmed Entertainment chair Donna Langley, who had succeeded Shell in the job, and her team signed a historic deal with theater owners allowing movies to become available on premium VOD as short as 17 days after their release on the big screen. Shell’s determination had paid off.
Shell was a a savvy steward when serving as chair of the entertainment group, so it was no surprise when he was named CEO of NBCU in 2019.
More to come…
Kim Masters contributed to this report.
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