Parsons trained as a newspaper journalist before working in television at London Weekend Television on programmes including Network 7, which won a BAFTA award for originality.[5][6] Parsons co-founded production company Planet 24 with Bob Geldof and his then partner Waheed Alli. At Planet 24, Parsons created ambitious groundbreaking television programmes including The Big Breakfast a show described as woven into Britain's tv history [7],The Word, and the BBC's first programme aimed at the LGBTQ community GaytimeTV.[8] While there he developed Survivor. When he developed Survivor he couldn't sell it in the UK or the US. It was only when he sold it in 1996 as Expedition Robinson to Sweden and the 1997 season became Sweden's most watched TV show[9] [10] [11], that he was able to sell it globally [12][2][13] . Planet 24 was sold to Carlton in 1999, but the owners kept the rights to Survivor.[13] Charlie Parsons is currently the executive producer of the American version of Survivor going into its 50th season on CBS.[14]. Survivor in the US premiered on May 31 2000, building its audience to 52 million viewers putting it second to the Super Bowl[15]. The show is one of television's biggest hits and has been described as one of the defining shows of our time: "Baseball may have had the 20th century, but in the 21st, whether you watched it or not, 'Survivor' was America's pastime." The New York Times
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Parsons has now become a theatre producer, developing and producing shows for the stage through his company Runaway Entertainment with Olivier-award-winning producer Tristan Baker.[17] The Bob Dylan musical Girl from the North Country won Olivier and a Tony Awards.[18] He also produced 2:22 A Ghost Story whose first outing starred Lily Allen whose casting inspired Allen's album West End Girl.[19]
Most recently he produced The Hunger Games on Stage, which took place in a purpose built theatre in Canary Wharf built by his company Troubadour Theatres.[20]
Parsons founded The Great BBC Campaign, set up to provide a bold ambitious new mandate for the BBC, designed to build on the success of the impartial and independent broadcasting organisation.[21]
