Jonathan Sigmund Shalit OBE (born 17 April 1962) is a British talent manager and chairman of the InterTalent Rights Group, formerly ROAR Global and Cole Kitchenn.[1] InterTalent represents household names across broadcasting, film, television, theatre, comedy, music, sport, digital, social media and literature.
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He is a regular speaker at UK and global entertainment industry events and advises government on the UK's entertainment and creative industries as well as appearing regularly as a media commentator.[2] He is Jewish and a supporter of Israel, attending the West London Synagogue.[3]
Shalit left the City of London School at the age of 18, working initially as a broker at Lloyd's of London and then worked at advertising company Saatchi & Saatchi before founding his first West End talent management company, Shalit Global, in 1991[3] In 30 plus years of talent management he has guided the careers of stars including Charlotte Church, Mel B, Baroness Brady, Kelly Brook, Cher, Dame Joan Collins, Rebecca Ferguson, Katherine Jenkins, Sir Elton John, Vinnie Jones , Kelly Hoppen, Lorraine Kelly, Myleene Klass, N-Dubz, Arlene Phillips, Sir George Martin (the Beatles' producer), Pixie Lott, Sting, Tulisa, Gregg Wallace, Simon Cowell, and the winners of the ITV television talent show Britain's Got Talent.[4][5] In 1994, he was instrumental in the making of The Glory of Gershwin, Larry Adler's album of George and Ira Gershwin songs.[6]
He has been executive producer in two movies: Pudsey the Dog: The Movie (2014; also voiced the character Cyril the Chicken) and The Time of Their Lives (2017).[7]
In 2000, after launching the career of child singing star Charlotte Church with a five-album deal, Shalit was sacked as her manager. He sued over the dismissal and was awarded £2 million plus costs at the High Court in London.[8]
As a regular media commentator on entertainment issues, Shalit appears frequently in broadcast and print. In 2012 he gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British Press. His evidence disputed that given by Charlotte Church claiming that she had been encouraged, more than a decade previously, to perform at Rupert Murdoch's birthday party in exchange for positive media coverage, waiving a £100,000 fee.[8]
Shalit was awarded the OBE in 2014 for services to the entertainment industry.[10] He also holds an honorary professorship, awarded in 2012, and honorary doctorate at Henley Business School of Reading University in recognition of his contribution to the arts, music and broadcasting.[11]
The Glory of Gershwin CD booklet.
