Amazon Studios is already in the market for a new head of unscripted programming, with Heather Schuster out after just under a year with the company.
The exit, the first in the TV suite since Jennifer Salke took over earlier this year, comes a mere nine months after Schuster was quickly promoted to fill the vacancy left by Conrad Riggs — one of several creative departures surrounding the resignation of Roy Price. Sources say Schuster’s exit comes after an investigation into claims of verbal abuse. (An Amazon rep only confirmed that Schuster is no longer with the company.)
Schuster, who previously worked for Ryan Seacrest Productions, joined Amazon in August 2017. A hire of Riggs, Price and the also departed Joe Lewis, she was put in charge of a relatively modest unscripted stable that most notably includes Top Gear spiritual sequel The Grand Tour and football doc All or Nothing.
For five seasons, Schuster was also a producer for Donald Trump’s The Apprentice — when Riggs was Mark Burnett’s producing partner. She served as senior vp creative affairs at Reveille/Shine America for nearly three years.
Things have been very stable at Amazon since the new regime was installed. And while the buying has been particularly aggressive in the scripted space, the streamer has yet to make nearly as much of an effort as rival Netflix. The latter has seen traction in its unscripted space with the Queer Eye reboot as well as its true-crime documentary serials.
