Longtime NBC exec Sahara Bushue has been tapped to head unscripted television at Westbrook Studios, the company founded by Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada.

Bushue will be tasked with growing Westbrook Studio’s footprint in the unscripted arena by developing new series and expanding its slate of projects. She will report to Terence Carter, co-president of Westbrook Studios and head of television.

“Sahara is one of those special executives in this business that understands how to help shape big, broadly appealing stories in creative and uplifting ways while also playing into an audience’s competitive nature.” said Carter. “I love how she consistently finds ways to amplify undiscovered and overlooked people with incredible talents. She has an impressive breadth of experience, and we are thrilled to welcome Sahara into the Westbrook family as we continue to build a slate of riveting and original non-scripted content for a global audience.”

Most recently, Bushue was senior VP of alternative development and current programming at NBC, where she developed and oversaw series such as “America’s Got Talent,” “Ellens Game of Games,” “World of Dance,” “Little Big Shots,” and other projects. She had been with NBC for over a decade, starting in the page program.

“I’m thrilled to join the team at Westbrook to help grow the unscripted slate and to tell stories that empower, inspire, and entertain audiences,” said Bushue. “We’re providing a platform for people to be their most authentic selves, whether that’s our favorite celebrities doing the unexpected and amusing or everyday people sharing their extraordinary talents, resiliency, and dreams. There has never been a better time to develop disruptive formats that reflect, explore, and celebrate humanity.”

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