Barry Poznick is leaving his post as head of unscripted programming at Amazon MGM Studios. He’s not giving up his shows, though: Poznick will continue to produce all of MGM’s reality TV franchises, including The voice, Shark tank, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Vanderpump Rules And American Gladiatorsunder a new three-year agreement.
Poznick joined MGM in 2016 as president of alternative programming. It was still the time of Mark Burnett. There, Poznick supervised Survivor and led the company’s acquisition of Evolution Media and Big Fish Entertainment. Poznick also opened an international production facility based in the United Kingdom. Amazon acquired MGM in 2022.
Below is the email that Peter Friedlander, the new head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, sent to staff:
I’m happy to share some exciting news about Barry Poznick, who served as head of MGM Alternative for nearly a decade.
Effective January 1, 2026, Barry will transition to a new multi-year production deal with Amazon MGM Studios, serving as executive producer overseeing the division’s flagship franchises.
Barry joined MGM in 2016 and became an integral part of the Amazon team following our acquisition. Throughout his tenure, he played a transformative role in the field of unscripted entertainment overseeing shows like The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Real Housewives, On Patrol Live, 007: Road to a Million and many more. His exceptional ability to create and broadcast hit shows has been instrumental in consistently delivering compelling programming that resonates with audiences around the world. His deep understanding of global formats and proven experience producing top-notch shows make this transition a natural evolution of his celebrated entertainment career.
I want to assure you that our strong leadership team remains intact within the MGM Unscripted organization. Lucilla D’Agostino and Kitty Gamble will continue to lead creative development, Justin Dudek will continue to lead physical production, and Ryan Singer and Tony Borbagiovanni will continue in their roles, ensuring the continuity of our creative vision and operational excellence.
We are delighted that Barry will continue its relationship with Amazon through a producer agreement, allowing us to continue our successful partnership.
