Simon Mirren Leaves "Criminal Minds" and Makes A New Deal with Sony

The executive producer of the ABC drama series “Criminal Minds”, Simon Mirren has confirmed that he is leaving the show. After the pilot episode, Mirren became the supervising producer and moved to become the show’s executive producer when the fifth season began.
Last October, Simon Mirren and veteran “Criminal Minds” executive producer Erica Messer were asked to take over the show-runner duties together with executive producers Ed Bernero who took over the place of former executive producer Chris Mundy. There were rumors that Bernero would also leave the show when the season ends, but that is not yet confirmed. Ed Bernero is currently working on a drama pilot entitled “Partners” which is in contention with ABC. Even if Bernero’s pilot would become a series, he is still involved with the franchise of the “Criminal Minds”. The only person that is sure to stay in the show is Messer who started out as a co-producer for the show before becoming an executive producer during the start of the sixth season.
There were reports that British-born writer Simon Mirren would go back to his hometown, but instead he went from Burbank Studio City where ABC Studios and CBS TV Studios are located to Culver City where Sony Pictures is based. There have been a buzz that after working for almost six years on the TV series “Criminal Minds”, Simon Mirren is ready to finalize a deal with Sony Pictures TV.
Simon Mirren wanted to pursue other things that would improve his talent, but ABC Studios was not supportive of him which made him seek better opportunities. Last summer, Sony Pictures TV changed its deal strategy to convince top writer Mirren to sign a contract with them and start his work for them in June 2011, after his stint for “Criminal Minds” ends.
Simon Mirren is the nephew of award-winning British actress Helen Mirren and director Taylor Hackford. Mirren started out his career in writing for several TV series in the U.K. including “Waking the Dead”, “Casualty” and “Spooks”. From the U.K.., Simon Mirren moved to the U.S. to write and produce TV series such as NBC’s “Third Watch” which was co-created by Ed Bernero and CBS’ TV drama “Without a Trace” before working on the hit series “Criminal Minds”. He is currently working on “The Sector” and planning to do more originals with Cinemax together with fellow producers Scott Free and Anne Thomopoluos as well as Aaron and Matt Benay.