International TV industry veteran Justin Bodle has died at his home in the south of France. The British executive was a well-known figure on the international TV circuit having been in the business for over three decades. Bodle suffered a brain hemorrhage, Tuesday.
Having served in the British army, Bodle then worked in production, distribution and advertising in a varied career. During a stint in program sales at Hit Entertainment, he sold “The Muppet Show” and the Jim Henson catalogue internationally. He is credited with structuring the first ever program barter deal on British television, placing “The Muppet Show” on Super Channel in 1987.
Bodle started out at ITV franchise company Thames Television, selling airtime to advertisers, before going on to join Peter Orton’s Hit. In the mid-1990s he formed his own production and distribution business, Power Television. He sold the business and then briefly bought it back, before shifting to full-time producing. Bodle also set up The Hot House, an incubator for indie producers.
As a producer his credits include International Emmy Award-winning “Henry VIII” with Ray Winstone, “Archangel” starring Daniel Craig, and drama series “Crusoe” for U.S. broadcaster NBC, as well as a strand of TV movies for cable net Lifetime.
Bodle is survived by his three children.