Warner Bros. TV names development chief, backtracks on closure of diversity program

Parul Agrawal

Warner Bros. Television, fresh from swinging cuts earlier this week, has named Parul Agrawal as its SVP & head of drama development and backtracked on plans to close its Workshop program.

Agrawal replaces Leigh London Redman, who joined Berlanti Productions as its president in July, and will report to WBTV’s EVP & head of development Clancy Collins White.

Her remit includes leading the creation of drama series, limited series and movies for WBD-owned HBO Max and its networks, as well as third parties. She will also oversee the WBTV drama development team, which includes SVP Tony Optican and VP’s Ashley Cole, Jonathan Harris and Mitzi Miller, among others.

Agrawal has been with WBD for more than 12 years and had been VP of drama development since 2019, working on shows such as Lovecraft Country for HBO, Gossip Girl and the upcoming The Girls On The Bus for HBO Max.

Prior to joining WBTV, Agrawal worked in development at Brancato/Salke Productions, the former production company of producers Chris Brancato and Bert Salke.

Warner Bros. TV is behind shows including The Flight Attendant and Gossip Girl for HBO Max, Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso, David Makes Man for OWN and The Kominsky Method for Netflix.

Earlier this week, the Channing Dungey-led division confirmed it was cutting the size of its team by more than a quarter.

However, WBD has backtracked on its plan to close the Warner Bros. Television Workshop program, which has helped to increase diversity on its shows via both the Writers’ Workshop and the Directors’ Workshop.

Instead, the initiative, which previously resided with WBTV, will now be housed within the company’s Diversity, Equity And Inclusion (DEI) unit, in partnership with WBTV.

The DEI team, which is led by chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer Asif Sadiq, “will grow the Workshop programs through its existing Pipeline Programs division,” WBD said, led by VP Grace Moss and overseen by US lead, Karen Horne.