TEN exec to oversee Drama development at CJZ

TEN Drama executive Claire Tonkin has been appointed Head of Drama Development at ‘super-indie’ Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder.

Tonkin has been with TEN for the past decade, working alongside Head of Drama Rick Maier.

Tonkin been Network Executive Producer for Neighbours for a number of years and helped oversee such titles as Offspring, Puberty Blues, Rush, The Wrong Girl, Bikie Wars: Brothers In Arms, Underground: The Julian Assange Story, Hawke, Secrets & Lies, Mr & Mrs Murder, A Model Daughter, Reef Doctors, Wonderland, Mary: The Making Of A Princess, Party Tricks and Brock.

She is an AWGIE winner and received the 2009 Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award from the International Emmy Foundation for her unpublished screenplay Me and Mine.

CJZ has a lengthy list of credits in factual and light entertainment, with scripted titles including BlackJack, The Ex-Pm, House of Hancock and the upcoming House of Bond, whilst the New Zealand arm of the group, Greenstone, produced Cul de Sac for TVNZ.

CJZ CEO Matt Campbell said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Claire join our talented team. We have a diverse slate of fantastic scripted projects and it will be fabulous to have Claire on board to steer those and others through to production. There has never been a more exciting time to be producing drama, as our client base expands to multiple territories and the bar is set so high. We welcome Claire to the CJZ family.”

Claire Tonkin added: “After many wonderful years working at TEN the time has come for me to embark on a new challenge. CJZ is a fantastic bunch of people who are rightly known for making bold, original and thought-provoking television. I’m delighted to be joining this clever and passionate team.”

She begins in January. TEN is yet to announce her replacement.