Former Food Network president Courtney White has teamed with media company Wheelhouse to create a new company focused on food, home and lifestyle content.

The Butternut joint venture will create original content for all platforms, said the company. As Butternut president, White will collaborate with Wheelhouse and its various divisions, including Wheelhouse Entertainment, marketing arm Wheelhouse Labs, digital division Wheelhouse DNA, and investment arm Wheelhouse 360. Wheelhouse was founded in 2017 by Brent Montgomery and Jimmy Kimmel.

Prior to Butternut, White served as president of Food Network, as well as general manager of HGTV and Food Network. 

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“The single, common element across all successful lifestyle content is passion – talent must project it, creators must harness it, audiences must feel it,” said White in a statement. “Personal passion for the lifestyle genre has been the essential factor in my own career trajectory and will be a fundamental tenet for Butternut as we work to create signature content born out of our vast enthusiasm for, and as, makers. Partnering with Brent and the Wheelhouse team supercharges our mission; Brent’s signature energy and infectious excitement for bold innovation in media and beyond will empower Butternut to fully realize its ambitions to deliver the genre’s very best to audiences and partners.”

Added Wheelhouse CEO Montgomery: “It’s thrilling to spot industry leaders at the top of their game and partner up to support them further as visionaries and entrepreneurs. There are very few in our business who know the lifestyle arena as well as Courtney, and who are trusted more by talent. We see Butternut not only as our lifestyle stronghold in content, but in other potential businesses, from culinary to consumer products. This is an inspiring collaboration and we’re looking forward to rolling up our sleeves to support Courtney and her creative and business goals.” ■ 

David George was named to succeed Brent Montgomery as CEO of ITV America. Montgomery, whose production company, Leftfield Entertainment, was acquired by ITV in 2014, was named CEO of ITV America in 2015 and is leaving to create a new entertainment company, the production firm said. He will stay on for six months to advise George, who becomes CEO immediately. George had been the company president.

ITV America, of which Montgomery was the original architect, encompasses Leftfield Pictures, Sirens Media, Loud TV and Outpost Entertainment as well as ITV Entertainment, High Noon Entertainment, Thinkfactory Media and other production partnerships.

Ed Simpson, who had been executive VP of business development and international at ITV America, will leave to join Montgomery in his new enterprise, the company said. 

ITV Studios managing director Julian Bellamy said in a release: “I fully understand Brent’s decision; he’s an entrepreneur at heart and this move takes him back to what he loves doing most. I would like to thank Brent for being a fantastic leader of ITV America and I’m delighted he will be partnering with us in his new venture. Brent hands over a business in great shape with an exceptionally strong team behind it. It’s a testament to his leadership that we are able to appoint a new CEO from within the group.”

ITV America shows include Hell’s Kitchen on Fox; an upcoming reboot of Queer Eyefor the Straight Guy for Netflix; HGTV’s Fixer Upper, now in its final season; A&E’s The First 48; Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Pawn Stars, which Montgomery sold to History early on, in 2009. 

Brent Montgomery, creator of Pawn Stars and other top reality series, is expected to be named head of ITV Studios U.S. Group, although the deal is not complete.

ITV acquired Montgomery’s Leftfield Entertainment in 2014 for $360 million. The acquisition was part of ITV’s move to bulk up its production company assets.

Montgomery would Paul Buccieri, who left ITV to join A+E Networks.

In a memo to staff after news of the potential move broke in publications including Variety, Montgomery said "there is a very good chance that I will be taking over a new role as head of ITV"s American operations," but he added any sort of a deal is weeks away. (Pictured: Montgomery moderating a panel at The Content Show, photo by John Staley.)

Read more at B&C.