LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Prominent public relations firm Baker, Winokur, Ryder has reportedly shuttered with several of it senior publicists splitting off to launch their own entertainment and lifestyle-oriented PR firm.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, BWR’s parent company Burson Cohn & Wolfe, folded BWR into its own entertainment division, with some BWR personnel transitioning to BCW and others being let go.

“Due to a variety of considerations, and the tremendous impact COVID-19 has had on the entertainment industry, we are combining our BWR brand into BCW Entertainment, effective immediately,” a rep from BCW told THR in an emailed statement. “While several of our BWR colleagues remain with BCW in Los Angeles and New York to oversee key client business, sadly we have had to say goodbye to other members of the BWR team. We are incredibly grateful to them for all of their contributions to BWR and the BCW Group, and we will be providing support to them during their transition.”

Founded by Paul Baker, Larry Winokur and Nanci Ryder in 1987, BWR grew to become a powerhouse in public relations, representing clients across the entertainment spectrum.

However in recent years, BWR’s star began to fade with several high profile defections in recent years, including co-heads of talent Nicole Perna and Melissa Raubvogel, who left to start their own PR agency last summer, and taking several BWR staffers with them.

As well, powerhouse publicist and agency co-founder Nanci Ryder revealed in 2014 that she’s battling ALS and elected to step down from her role at the agency in order to focus on her health.

Still, BWR’s client roster included the likes of Adam Sandler, Regina Hall, Luke Hemsworth, Matt LeBlanc, Zoe Saldana, Anna Kendrick, Padma Lakshmi, and Kyle Richards among others.

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