Andy Taylor, one of the pioneers of the U.K. digital space, has died from cancer. He was 50.
Taylor began his career as a lawyer, but went on to hold several senior positions in media. The executive was managing director of Victoria Real — one of the first companies to help integrate the web and interactive television during online live streaming — when it began working on “Big Brother,” whose cutting-edge technology changed the nature of reality television. Endemol subsequently bought the company.
From 2003 to 2007, Taylor served as managing director of digital at Channel 4, where he was one of the designers of their on-demand service 4oD, now known as All4.
Taylor then moved to All3Media where he was director, digital media and commercial director. While at All3Media, Taylor launched several YouTube channels, using assets from some of the company’s well-known brands.
In 2013, he launched Little Dot Studios, along with co-founder Selma Turajlic, with seed money from All3Media. Little Dot is now one of the largest distributors of premium content on YouTube, and employs more than 200 staff across London, Munich and Los Angeles.
The company also operates a suite of factual channels. One of them, Real Stories, commissioned Victoria Mapplebeck’s “Missed Call,” which premiered as a YouTube-first production and went on to win the BAFTA for best short form program at the 2019 awards.
Earlier this year, Little Dot Studios produced the Edinburgh TV Festival’s first digital edition as the world went online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company also acquired historian Dan Snow’s platform History Hit.
Taylor and Turajlic took a step back from the company and Dan Jones took over as CEO.