Stephen Hill Leaves BET

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Stephen Hill Leaves BET

A huge network shakeup is rocking BET.

Stephen Hill, the longtime President of Programming who was a staple for nearly two decades, is “exiting” alongside Zola Mashariki, BET’s Executive Vice President and Head of Original Programming.

Details on their departure are skimpy, but according to The Hollywood Reporter BET CEO Debra Lee announced the transition to staff Wednesday afternoon. In a memo, Lee says Hill made the decision to “step-down”, and noted that his contributions to the network are “invaluable.”

Hill also released his own memo and praised BET staff for being trailblazers.

“There is an abundance of talent at BET Networks; each person a spark that can start the blaze of the next success; to again take what is currently unimaginable and set on a path to make it real. It has been my immeasurable joy to work alongside you.[…] I will miss you all. I will miss this. I will miss us. But I am so excited to see where you next take this powerful, agile, thrusting spacecraft of a brand.”

Hill is known for bringing 106 & Park, the New Edition biopic, the BET Awards and the BET Hip-Hop Awards to life.

Just last night he was promoting BET’s new series “Rebel.”

SHEESH, that was fast.