Chris McCumber is bidding farewell to his role as President of Blumhouse Television after a fruitful three-year tenure. Jeremy Gold, the current President of Production within the unit, is set to step into the top position on an interim basis. Simultaneously, a quest is underway to identify a new leader for the TV group, which is undergoing a reduction in size, involving the layoff of a relatively small number of employees—believed to be fewer than 10—effective today. (Blumhouse’s combined workforce in film and TV totals nearly 100.)

These staff reductions are primarily occurring in the TV division’s Creative and Business Affairs departments, as per sources. The unscripted group, under the leadership of Gretchen Palek, will remain unaffected, as will Blumhouse’s shared services teams, encompassing Production, Casting, HR, Marketing, and Finance.

Chris Dickie, the head of Blumhouse TV’s scripted division (EVP Scripted Programming and Development), will remain in his role and assist Jeremy Gold during the transitional phase. Gold is set to take on an expanded role overseeing Blumhouse TV series slated for production once the SAG-AFTRA strike concludes.

Chris McCumber, formerly a high-ranking executive at NBCUniversal TV, joined Blumhouse Television as President in November 2020. His departure coincides with the natural conclusion of his contract.

These changes within Blumhouse TV are transpiring against the backdrop of industry-wide contraction, with networks and streaming platforms scaling back their external content acquisitions. Moreover, the prolonged Hollywood shutdown due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which began five months ago, has had a disproportionately negative impact on Blumhouse’s television ventures.

Abhijay Prakash, President of Blumhouse, commented on these developments, stating, “We’ve always thrived by delivering what the market needs. So as the television marketplace evolves, we’re evolving too so we can focus on our existing projects and continue to do what we do best, and that’s producing great programming responsibly.” Prakash expressed gratitude to Chris McCumber for his exceptional leadership over the past three years and acknowledged the solid foundation he laid for the company’s future. He also commended Jeremy Gold and Chris Dickie for their willingness to step up and lead the division.

Blumhouse TV boasts a lineup of scripted projects poised for action once the SAG-AFTRA strike concludes, including “The Bondsman,” starring Kevin Bacon, and “Scarpetta,” based on Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling book series, featuring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis in leading roles. The studio recently wrapped production on “The Sticky,” starring Margo Martindale, and launched “The Horror of Dolores Roach,” starring Justina Machado, both for Amazon. Additionally, Blumhouse TV has produced a series of streaming movies for Amazon and MGM+.

Chris McCumber, a well-respected veteran of the television industry, came to Blumhouse after an extensive tenure at USA Network, where he oversaw some of the network’s most profitable years and was instrumental in the development and launch of hit series like “Suits,” “Mr. Robot,” “Queen of the South,” “Chrisley Knows Best,” “Psych,” and “The Sinner,” among others.

In response to his departure, Chris McCumber expressed gratitude to Jason Blum and the entire Blumhouse team for their exceptional partnership and support, highlighting the growth and accomplishments achieved during his tenure. He also conveyed his belief in the potential for growth and opportunity amidst the ongoing industry changes, especially when it comes to delivering compelling storytelling.

Jeremy Gold, who has been with Blumhouse since 2016, formerly served as SVP Comedy at Fox Broadcasting Co. before joining the studio. He played a key role in the development of successful series such as “American Dad,” “The Bernie Mac Show,” and “Arrested Development.”