Heather Schuster leaves Amazon Studios, Deadline reports

Heather
Schuster.
Getty

• Heather Schuster, head of unscripted TV at Amazon
  Studios, is leaving following an internal investigation into
  alleged comments she made in a meeting, according to
  Deadline.
• Variety reported that Schuster “engaged in verbally
  abusive behavior.”
• As Amazon’s head of unscripted TV, Schuster was
  responsible for Jeremy Clarkson’s motoring show “The Grand
  Tour.”

A top Amazon television executive has left the company amid
reports she was the subject of an internal investigation into
alleged inappropriate comments she made during a meeting.

Deadline broke the news that
Heather Schuster, head of unscripted TV at Amazon Studios, has
stepped down. Variety and The Los Angeles
Times followed up with similar reports confirming the original
story.

Business Insider has contacted Amazon and Schuster for comment.
The company did not remark on circumstances of Schuster’s
departure, but confirmed to Variety that she was leaving.

Variety went further than Deadline and reported that Amazon was
investigating allegations Schuster “engaged in verbally abusive
behavior.” Deadline also said the probe looked at “possible
misuse of power.”

As Amazon’s head of unscripted TV, Schuster was responsible for
Jeremy Clarkson’s motoring show “The Grand Tour.” She took up the
role in October 2017 having previously worked at companies
including Ryan Seacrest Productions.

Schuster is the latest high-profile US television executive to
depart abruptly over comments made internally. Amy Powell, the
head of Paramount Television since 2013, was fired last month for “racially
charged” comments made in a conference call. Netflix’s Chief Communications
Officer Jonathan Friedland stepped down in June after
admitting he had spoken in an “insensitive” manner.