Kinetic Content Hires ‘Too Hot To Handle’ Co-Creator Laura Gibson As UK MD

Love Is Blind and Married at First Sight maker Kinetic Content is expanding into the UK.

The North Road-backed company has hired Too Hot To Handle co-creator Laura Gibson as MD in the UK. She will closely collaborate and share a slate with Kinetic’s Executive Vice Presidents and co-development heads Karrie Wolfe and Katie Griffin, and she’ll work with Eric Detwiler, President, and Stefanie Cohen-Williams, President of Production, on selected shows within Kinetic’s slate of projects. Gibson will also work closely with Jan Frouman, North Road’s International President, on Kinetic’s UK growth.

Gibson is a UK formats vet with 15 years experience. She was most recently Creative Director at Made in Chelsea producer Monkey but exited late last year. She was previously at Talkback, where she co-created Netflix smash Too Hot To Handle, which has aired for multiple seasons and produced different versions – most recently an Italian one announced last week. She previously spent time in the U.S. where she worked for 44 Blue Productions and Endemol Shine North America.

Her Too Hot To Handle experience may come in handy as she moves to the production company in charge of some of America’s biggest reality hits in Love is Blind and Married at First Sight, the latter of which just switched to Peacock. Love is Blind recently launched in the UK to solid ratings and a second season is in the works, although both Love is Blind UK and MAFS UK are produced by CPL, not Kinetic. Kinetic also makes Claim to Fame for ABC/Hulu and The Ultimatum for Netflix.

Kinetic CEO Chris Coelen said: “I have always been in awe of the UK market’s creativity, and have had the great pleasure of collaborating with some of the best creative talent in the UK for over 20 years. Laura’s creative passion, track record, collaborative spirit and deep relationships within the UK market and globally, make her the ideal choice to join Kinetic and lead Kinetic UK.”

Gibson said now is an “important juncture” for Kinetic, which was acquired by Peter Chernin’s North Road in 2022. “The company’s bold approach to storytelling has set a new standard in unscripted television,” she added. “I’m eager to collaborate with this incredibly talented team to deliver exceptional formats that captivate UK audiences and resonate globally.”