Ex-FremantleMedia exec Tegelaar joins Sony

Jason Tegelaar, formerly of FremantleMedia-owned prodco Blue Circle, has joined Sony Pictures Television in the Netherlands.

TBI has learned Tegelaar has joined SPT as a development executive on a six-month contract.

He will work closely with SPT’s VP, acquisitions, international production Lisette van Diepen and report to chief creative officer, international production Wayne Garvie.

SPT believes Tegelaar’s creative capabilities are a good fit with its internal development assets, it is understood, and the position could be extended if positive results are achieved.

Tegelaar counts Japanese co-developed format Troubleshooter among his development credits at Blue Circle. He also worked on Dutch versions of The X Factor and Got Talent. Blue Circle is also behind Ned 3’s local version of Dragon’s Den, which is a key SPT format.

Blue Circle was last year part of a FremantleMedia restructure in the Netherlands that split its local assets down genre lines. Blue Circle was given responsibility for entertainment, with FourOne.Media creating all drama productions.

Since Tegelaar’s exit, Karin Haverschmidt has covered his duties as development manager. Haverschmidt reports to long-time creative director Raul ter Linden.

Sony has long looked to the Netherlands as a source for its format development, buying Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? rights owner 2waytraffic for £114.3 million (US$172.9 million) in 2008.

The firm’s Amsterdam office has been significantly scaled back in recent years, however, with high-ranking execs such as Ed Louwerse and Kirsten Jan van Nieuwenhuijzen exiting.

However, van Diepen remains in the Netherlands and will look to develop new projects with Tegelaar.