EXCLUSIVE: Netflix’s push into live unscripted programming hasn’t fared that well, so far, and it’s having an impact on its executive ranks.

Deadline understands that Sahara Bushue, who was director of unscripted series at Netflix, overseeing its slate of live unscripted and performance series, is exiting the company.

This comes after series such as , Building The Band and Pop The Balloon have underwhelmed in the ratings for Netflix.

Star Search failed to break through with its launch last month; the series, which is hosted by Anthony Anderson and features a judging panel of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chrissy Teigen and Jelly Roll, failed to hit Netflix’s global top 10 charts in its first week with its opening two episodes recording fewer than 2.3M views (although we don’t know how many fewer).

The series premiered on January 20 and ran over five weeks with its finale on February 17.

It was meant to be a splashy rival to broadcast hits such as NBC’s The Voice, Fox’s The Masked Singer or ABC’s American Idol and came two years after unscripted chief Jeff Gaspin started hunting for broadcast-style entertainment formats.

Similarly, another live show, Pop The Balloon also failed to find much love. That dating show, which premiered in April 2025, was hosted by Yvonne Orji, was one of the first entertainment formats that Netflix decided to do live. Deadline understands that it’s not coming back for a second season.

All of this has contributed to Bushue’s exit.

She joined Netflix in March 2023, initially as a consultant, before being promoted in October.

Before joining the streamer, she was head of unscripted at Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios, working on shows such as Netflix’s African Queens and Nat Geo/Disney+’s Pole to Pole.

Prior to that, she was SVP, Alternative Development and Current at NBC, where she worked on shows such as America’s Got Talent, Ellen’s Game of Games, World of Dance, Little Big Shots, and Hollywood Game Night.

At Netflix, in addition to the second season of Rhythm & Flow, which premiered in November 2024, Bushue worked on Building The Band and Star Search as well as its live programming slate, which has included The Greatest Roast of All Time with Tom Brady as well as various awards shows, hot dog eating competitions and boxing matches.