Toronto-based prodco marblemedia has hired Mike Armitage to its unscripted division as part of its long-term factual content strategy.

Armitage joins the company as development producer, factual and factual entertainment, in a role that began at the start of 2021. The former Proper Television exec will find and develop unscripted projects for the global market, working with Diane Rankin, executive producer and SVP at marblemedia rights management company Distribution360. He reports to Rankin and marblemedia co-CEO Matt Hornburg.

The prodco has also expanded development exec Kelsey Espensen’s role within the unscripted division. As development producer, unscripted entertainment and formats, Espensen will help create original formats for marblemedia and source international formats to adapt in North America, and reports to Hornburg. Her past format development work with marblemedia includes the unscripted competition series Race Against the Tide, which went into production in New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy in summer 2020.

Armitage most recently served as director of development at Proper Television, creating unscripted series such as Discovery’s Tougher Than it Looks and Last Stop Garage, and CBC’s Under New Management. He helped develop and produce Dragon’s Den as a producer at CBC and has also held senior roles at Banger and Antica Productions.

“Mike Armitage is a tremendous talent and well-respected development executive with a successful track record for delivering original productions from concept to the screen,” said Hornburg, in a statement. “Expanding our unscripted development team into two distinct areas of original production will serve the needs of our global buyers and further fuel the growth and scalability of our business.”

The prodco has expanded its factual production in recent years, creating hits such as the Netflix competition series Blown Away, which recently debuted its second season on Friday (Jan. 22). In 2020, marblemedia announced its strategy to boost its factual output, announcing its true crime and historical docuseries titles in development.

Pictured (L-R): Mike Armitage and Kelsey Espensen