UKTV invigorates Commissioning Team

Nat and Mark

16 January 2020

UKTV has announced three changes within its commissioning team. Mark Iddon is taking on Joe Mcvey's role as Commissioning Editor covering comedy entertainment, and a new role has been created for another Commissioning Editor to cover scripted comedy. Elsewhere in the team, Natalie Rose has been promoted.

Reporting to Head of Comedy Entertainment, Iain Coyle, Iddon is tasked with keeping UKTV at the forefront of comedy entertainment following its strongest slate ever in 2019. His remit also includes developing fresh formats and ideas to attract the next generation of talent and comedy-lovers to Dave. He joins from Avalon where he spent most of his career as a producer and series producer working on shows including, Russell Howard's Good News, Unspun with Matt Forde and Rob Delaney's Stand Up Central. Prior to Avalon, he worked as a development producer at BBC Multiplatform Studio, consulting and developing television and online projects across BBC Drama, Factual, Comedy & Entertainment.

Scripted comedy proved popular with viewers in 2019 and the genre had its most successful year with shows including The Cockfields and Dial M for Middlesbrough on Gold, and Sliced on Dave. This new scripted commissioner will be helping to expand output in that area and will report to Pete Thornton, Head of Scripted.

Moving from her role as a Commissioning Executive to Commissioning Editor, Rose continues her work within Factual and Factual Entertainment. She will continue to report to Deputy Director of Commissioning and Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment, Hilary Rosen. After two and a half years at UKTV, key shows of note for Rose include, Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over for W, Big Zuu's Big Eats for Dave, and Warbird Workshop for Yesterday. She also exec produces Bangers and Cash for Yesterday, Borderforce: America's Gatekeepers for Dave, and W's longest running series Inside the Ambulance. Prior to joining UKTV, Rose produced Channel 4's flagship series Gogglebox, I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Big Brother, Celebs Go Dating, The Voice, The X-Factor.

Richard Watsham, Director of Commissioning said:

We're in the middle of a major commissioning drive in comedy entertainment so I'm thrilled to get Mark's expertise in the building, helping to generate the next wave of industry leading panel shows, parlour games and entertainment formats. With 12 series to commission for Dave over the next two years, Mark and Iain are going to be very busy!

Natalie has delivered a number of successful shows for us over the last couple of years, helping to raise the quality of our output across factual and fact ent. Her most recent commission, Big Zuu's Big Eats, is an innovative new format for Dave which will help to maintain the channel's position as the number one non-PSB for 16-34s and home of the UK's best entertainment talent. Congratulations to Natalie on her new role.

Mark Iddon said: "I'm thrilled to join this well well-respected and innovative team and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running and building on the great projects already being developed."

Natalie Rose said: "I've had an incredible two years at UKTV and I'm looking forward to developing more great shows for our loyal and inquisitive factual entertainment fans to enjoy."

Both Iddon and Rose started in their new roles this month. Applicants can apply for the new Commissioning Editor role here.

For more information, please contact:
Victoria Fairclough, Head of Network Communications
Ali Laurie, Network Communications Executive

About UKTV

UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.

UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.

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