Jimmy Kimmel‘s Kimmalot and Brent Montgomery‘s Wheelhouse have parted ways after six years of business partnership between the late-night host’s production banner and the producer’s startup media and investment venture.
The shift for Kimmalot and Wheelhouse has been in the works for months. Kimmalot’s exit from operating under the Wheelhouse umbrella was anticipated when Wheelhouse did its first round of outside funding earlier this year from Jeff Bewkes’ firm Alignment Capital. It’s understood that Kimmel decided it was time for the company to transition out of Wheelhouse, where the company was founded in 2018, to a fully independent status. The partners cast the move as amicable and noted that both companies will remain in business together on existing projects.
“When Wheelhouse took the equity investment from Alignment Growth, we made the decision to consolidate equity ownership,” Wheelhouse and Kimmalot said in a joint statement. “Jimmy transitioned from an equity partner to a commercial partner. While we no longer have ownership stakes in each other’s companies, Kimmelot and Wheelhouse continue to share resources and partner on a variety of individual projects.”
Scott Lonker, president of Kimmalot, will continue to play an executive role at Wheelhouse for a time while the transition is completed.
Among the TV projects Kimmalot has fielded to date have been the ABC comedy specials dubbed “Live in Front of a Studio Audience,” featuring live remakes of classic episodes of such sitcoms as “All in the Family” and “Good Times.”
Kimmel was the first boldface name that Montgomery recruited to work under the Wheelhouse umbrella which is designed to provide investment and creative support to help producers nurture their own projects and imprints.
Montgomery, former head of ITV America and a veteran unscripted producer, launched Wheelhouse in January 2018.
(Pictured: Brent Montgomery and Jimmy Kimmel)
More to come
