Netflix Hires Jeff Gaspin as Top Unscripted Executive – The Hollywood Reporter

Netflix has added former NBC Universal Television Entertainment chief Jeff Gaspin to its executive team.

Gaspin will be vp unscripted series at the streamer, charged with curating and growing Netflix’s slate of reality programming. He joins Netflix a month after Jenn Levy, who previously oversaw unscripted series at the company, departed. Gaspin will report to Brandon Riegg, vp nonfiction series.

“I feel a bit like Al Pacino in The Godfather Part III: Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in,” Gaspin said in a statement. “I’m so thrilled to join Brandon and the unscripted team at Netflix. I was always most successful and happiest when I built or ran unscripted at VH1, Bravo and NBCU. I can’t wait to do the same at Netflix.”

Gaspin has worked with Netflix several times as a producer: His company, Gaspin Media, produced Rhythm & Flow and The Tinder Swindler for the streamer.

“Jeff is such a huge talent, with so much experience across unscripted and television in general, and I couldn’t be more excited that he’s joining us,” said Riegg. “From Rhythm & Flow to Tinder Swindler, he’s already been part of the Netflix family and we’re looking forward to continuing working with him and learning from him in this lively world of unscripted TV.”

Gaspin was chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment from 2009-11, departing the network when Comcast assumed control of the company (and removed the space between “NBC” and “Universal”). Prior to that he held several positions at NBC Universal, including president of Bravo, where Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Project Runway debuted under his watch. He was also executive vp programming and production at VH1, where he created one of the channel’s signature shows, Behind the Music.

Deadline first reported Gaspin’s hiring.