Deirdre “Didi” O’Hearn, the former head of programming and development for the Food Network and the Cooking Channel, died Monday from lung cancer. She was 63.
O’Hearn’s husband Richard Eckerstrom confirmed her death to media following her stay in hospice in Florida.
While at the Food Network and the Cooking Channel, O’Hearn was responsible for new show development and creating original series. She joined the channels in 2014 after departing We TV, where she spearheaded several popular series, including “Kendra on Top” and “Mary Mary.”
“You’ve got to be a destination. You’ve got to be on the map,” O’Hearn told The Hollywood Reporter at the time. “You’ve got to be the place that viewers tune in to and a hit just puts you on the map. It also allows you to build out that night. I don’t think there is any cable programmer who isn’t worried about getting the hits. That’s part of the job.”
She also worked at A&E Television Networks for 16 years and was nominated for six Emmys over the course of her career, including five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series for “Biography.” Before joining the network, she worked as a producer of programming for A&E Network and History.
O’Hearn first studied at Amherst College and then moved on to Columbia’s School of Journalism, where she completed her master’s degree. She was also a member of Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and Women in Cable Telecommunications.
She is survived by her husband, two children and four brothers.
The Hollywood Reporter first shared the news.
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