Heather Olander lands a top unscripted job on the CW

EXCLUSIVE: Looks like the CW has found its unscripted boss.

Former NBCUniversal CEO Heather Olander is set to join the network to oversee its unscheduled programming, Deadline knows.

This comes after Deadline announced that the Nexstar-owned company is looking for an alternative chef to work alongside recently appointed Entertainment President Brad Schwartz.

Olander, who could start as early as next month, will have an interesting job as the network prepares to increase the amount of unscripted content it airs as it appears to make programming more cost-effective. Deadline reckons that under its new ownership, Unscripted could account for more than 50% of its planning.

While The CW has long had series like Penn & Teller: Fool Us, World’s Funniest Animals and Whose line is it anyway? and moved to competition formats and panel shows will i lie to you and killer campit will grow aggressively instead of expensive script orders.

The CW declined to comment.

Previously EVP Alternative Development and Programming, USA, Syfy & Peacock, Olander left the company at the end of 2020. She left following a reorganization at NBCU that saw the non-scripted teams split into two divisions, now led by Corie Henson and Rod Aissa.

Olander joined USA Network in 2011, added Syfy to its oversight of unscripted/alternative products in 2014, and added unscripted development for streamer Peacock in late 2019.

She was responsible for building USA Network’s programming of unscripted shows, including Chrisley knows best which was recently canceled after the stars went to jail on a laundry list of cheating allegations, Miz and mrs and Straight up Steve Austin.

She also moved the cable network into entertainment formats with reboots of temptation Island and The biggest loserand competition series cannon shotaired on USA Network and NBC.

Prior to joining NBCUniversal, Olander was VP Original Series Development and Current Programming for CBS Television Distribution, developed alternative/unscripted formats for syndication, cable and broadcast, and was VP Original Series Development and Current Programming for MTV for six years.