ITV injects new creative leadership into the company
ITV has boosted its creative leadership with senior appointments in ITV Network and ITV Studios.
“A channel’s programming is only as good as the choices the commissioning teams make, and so it is vital to have the best people possible in these crucial positions. I’m delighted to announce that Polly, Sue, Shu, Peter, and Rosemary will be joining imminently to lead the programming team through the next phase of ITV’s output. Each of them bring a blend of passion and experience to the roles and I’m confident that as a team we can continue to build on the raft of shows that help to make ITV Britain’s most popular commercial channel.” – Kevin Lygo, ITV Director of Television
ITV is bolstering its creative leadership across the business with Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning Polly Hill joining the Network commissioning team as Head of Drama while Optomen MD Sue Murphy will join ITV commissioning as Head of Factual Entertainment, and Siobhan Greene will move from ITV Studios to become the commissioning team’s Head of Entertainment while also Peter Davey has been promoted to Head of Comedy Entertainment.
ITV also announced that Angela Jain is to succeed Greene as Managing Director of ITV Studios Entertainment. Discovery Networks International Senior Vice President, Content and Operations, Rosemary Newell will become ITV’s Head of Digital Channels and Acquisitions, as Jain moves to ITV’s production business.
Sue Murphy, a former commissioning head at both Channel 4 and Channel 5, will step into the newly created post of Head of Factual Entertainment. ITV’s experienced Controller of Factual, Jo Clinton Davis, will continue in her role, and will work to Murphy, with a particular responsibility for heading up documentary.
As Head of Entertainment at ITV Network Siobhan Greene will take on commissioning responsibilities for ITV’s big existing entertainment formats, from Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor, to I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, as well as The Voice, and The Voice Kids which will air on ITV from 2017. She will also assume responsibilities for brand extension shows on ITV2, including Get Me Out Of Here Now!, Britain’s Got More Talent and The Xtra Factor.
ITV Entertainment Commissioner, Peter Davey, has been promoted to the role of Head of Comedy Entertainment. He will head up commissioning for a broad range of existing and new entertainment shows, including studio based formats and physical game shows, quiz and panel shows, reality formats as well as scripted and sketch comedy for both ITV main channel, and ITV digital channels.
Angela Jain, ITV’s Director of Digital Channels and Acquisitions, will move to the role of Managing Director of ITV Studios Entertainment, leading the team to create great programming for both ITV and non-ITV channels, spearheading ITVS Entertainment’s ambition to be the home for the best talent both on-screen, in development and production.
Rosemary Newell joins ITV as Head of Digital Channels and Acquisitions, succeeding Jain as she moves to her new role in ITV Studios. Newell will be responsible for running ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV, ITV Encore and ITVBe, as well as acquired programming across the network.
ITV was formed as Independent Television in 1954 as a commercial competitor to the BBC. It went on air as a regional network in September 1955. In 2004 the Granada owned regions merged with the Carlton owned regions to create ITVplc. Currently only STV, the channel 3 broadcaster of two local services in Scotland, remains independent of the ITVplc operation.
