EXCLUSIVE: Nippon TV, the Japanese broadcaster, is stepping up its unscripted business in the U.S. and has hired former ITV America exec Nick Ower to help.

Ower joins as director of development and sales, unscripted. He joins after nearly ten years at the Love Island and Hell’s Kitchen producer.

He will report to Tom Miyauchi, Head of Nippon TV’s LA Business Office.

Ower has been tasked with driving the company’s format strategy across North America and Latin America and will represent Nippon TV and Gyokuro Studio’s unscripted catalogue to broadcasters, streamers, and production partners across the region.

The hope is that he will expand Nippon’s reach in the States and Gyokuro Studio’s original development, working with partners.

Gyokuro Studios, which is Nippon’s inhouse studio, is behind formats such as social experiment Majority Rules, family game show The Balance and culinary competition show Cooking Rush!.

Ower was Director of Development at ITV Entertainment, which is also behind Queer Eye and The Chase. He worked on series such as Peacock’s Love Island Games and Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Prime Video’s Twin Love, HBO Max’s My Mom, Your Dad, OWN’s Four Weddings and Netflix feature doc Longest Third Date.

“We are delighted to welcome Nick to Nippon TV LA as we expand and build on our footprint in the Americas. He brings a proven track record and a wealth of experience in unscripted development, alongside a strong understanding of the North American market and excellent creative instincts, making him a valuable addition to our growing international strategies. Nick will play a key role in strengthening our development pipeline and deepening our partnerships across the region, as we continue to broaden our presence in the global market,” said Miyauchi.

Ower added, “Joining Nippon TV LA at such a pivotal stage of its international expansion is an incredible opportunity. I’ve long admired the company’s reputation for bold, inventive storytelling, and there is an undeniable global appetite for the kind of fresh, high-concept entertainment that Nippon TV and Gyokuro Studio excel at. By combining Nippon TV’s distinct creative spirit with a sharp focus on international scalability, I look forward to working with partners across the Americas to create high-impact content designed to resonate with audiences worldwide.”