STV PRODUCTIONS HIRES CREATIVE DIRECTOR, FACTUAL

RNS Number : 3734W

STV Group PLC

16 April 2019

 

PRESS RELEASE                 PRESS RELEASE                 PRESS RELEASE

STV PRODUCTIONS APPOINTS CRAIG HUNTER AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR, FACTUAL

16 April 2019

STV Productions has appointed leading creative talent Craig Hunter as Creative Director, Factual, as the business pursues an ambitious growth plan led by David Mortimer.

Hunter, whose commissioning credits include BBC's Blue Planet Live, Drowning in Plastic and Inside the Factory, is currently the Lead Commissioning Editor for Natural History and Specialist Factual and the Factual Lead for Commissioning in Scotland.

With extensive production and commissioning credits to his name, Hunter has worked across a huge range of formats including blue chip series, live events, social experiments, competitions and returning formats and his commissions have been the recipient of multiple awards including BAFTA, RTS and Grierson.

Other commissioning highlights include The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs, Big Life Fix, The Parkinson's Drug Trial: A Miracle Cure? Grizzly Bear Cubs and Me, Animals with Cameras and Amazing Hotels: Life beyond the Lobby.

On the production side, Hunter has worked as Executive Producer for BBC Science and for independent production company KEO Films, with credits across Specialist Factual, Features, Current Affairs and Documentaries, including the multi award-winning Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die for BBC Two.

Hunter, who is from Glasgow, is an established voice for production in the Nations.  In his role as Lead Commissioner for Factual Scotland he works with Scottish production companies to deliver network ideas and projects across all factual genres to the BBC.

This key appointment is part of STV's comprehensive three-year strategy for creative and digital growth, through which the company is investing £15m  in content and digital to position STV as a major creative force in Scotland and beyond.  STV recently produced drama series The Victim for BBC One which has received huge critical and popular acclaim.

Craig will work alongside Sarah Brown, Creative Director, Drama and Gary Chippington, Creative Director, Entertainment.

Craig Hunter said: "I'm really looking forward to joining David and the team at STV Productions at what is a very exciting time for the business.

"I've had an extraordinary four years in Commissioning for the BBC, and I've loved every minute of it. I've been lucky enough to work on a very broad slate of programmes, with many talented people.

"I will miss the team immensely but now feels like the right time to focus my efforts back in

Scotland with this exciting new challenge.

"Broadcasting has changed a lot since I've been a Commissioner and I'm excited to turn my creative energy towards new opportunities in the production sector, with STV."

David Mortimer, Managing Director, STV Productions, said: "Craig has a hugely impressive track-record of delivering high quality, award-winning, popular content across a broad range of unscripted genres and I'm delighted to welcome him to the team.

"His vast experience of productions in the Nations will be invaluable as STV Productions continues its mission to deliver fantastic shows produced out of Scotland for UK and international broadcasters.  I'm sure that Craig will help with our goal of establishing STV as a major industry player over the next few years."

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For further information, please contact the STV press office:-

Anna Hendry, 0141 300 3830 [e-mail]

Katie Martin, 0141 300 3109, [e-mail] 

Notes to Editors

STV Productions

STV Productions is one of the UK's leading content businesses with ambitious plans for domestic and international growth and was recently confirmed as Scotland's biggest indie.

The company, led by award-winning executive David Mortimer, has an impressive track- record of success across genres including drama, entertainment and factual, with commissions from a wide range of broadcasters.

Eighteen series of ratings winner Antiques Road Trip have been produced for the BBC along with eight series of sister programme Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. A further two series of Antiques Road Trip and a ninth series of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip have been commissioned for production in 2019.

In entertainment, the company has produced seven series of Catchphrase for ITV, game shows And They're Off...for Sport Relief for BBC One and Babushka for ITV Daytime, two series of Safeword for ITV - with a two series remake for VHI/MTV in the US, as well as The Dressing  Room  for  UKTV's  entertainment  channel  W.  Sex Tape, a four-part show for Channel 4, will transmit in 2019.

STV Productions has a track record of producing quality drama, with critically-acclaimed four-part thriller The Victim - starring Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah - recently broadcast on BBC One. STV  Productions  has  also  confirmed  a  second  BBC  drama  commission  -  Elizabeth  is Missing, adapted from Emma Healey's novel. Previous drama productions include Taggart and Rebus for ITV.

Highlights among factual series and specials include Britain's Polar Bear Cub for Channel

4, two series of Prison: First & Last 24 Hours for Sky1, Ross Kemp Behind Bars - Inside Barlinnie for ITV, Scotland and the Battle for Britain presented by Andrew Marr for BBC Two, Fire in the Night, an award winning feature documentary to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster, Tutankhamun: The Truth Uncovered for BBC1, Smithsonian Channel and Discovery Canada, as well as documentary series Yes/No - Inside The Indyref and Inside Central Station for the BBC Scotland channel.

STV Productions works with a number of leading international sales agents that distribute its programmes and formats outside the UK. The company's partnership with Sky Vision covers international distribution of STV Productions' unscripted catalogue as well as a global distribution deal for BBC drama, The Victim.

 

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