Edinburgh TV Festival Taps Harjeet Chhokar

The Edinburgh TV Festival (ETF) has appointed Harjeet Chhokar, unscripted executive at MGM Amazon Studios/Prime Video, as the festival’s advisory chair for 2024.

Chhokar has experience across non-scripted both as a producer and latterly as a commissioner. He currently works with production companies from across the U.K. to develop, greenlight and deliver content for Prime Video. Since joining the service in November 2021, he has worked across the unscripted programming spectrum, including recent hits 007: Road to a Million, Clarkson’s Farm, the BAFTA Scotland Award-winning Three Mothers, Two Babies and a Scandal and The Greatest Show Never Made, as well sports documentaries, including Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, All or Nothing: Arsenal and the upcoming 99 and Four Kings. Prior to this, Chhokar was in the Channel 4 factual commissioning team.

For the 2024 festival, he will be working alongside Creative Director Rowan Woods.

Chhokar said: “Television is the most powerful cultural force in the world. You only have to see its impact in the first few weeks of the year so far to witness its ability to touch our lives. Whether it’s being on the edge of our seats during The Traitors, the justified outrage caused by Mr Bates vs the Post Office or being drawn into the icy mystery on the latest, brilliant series of True Detective, TV continues to shape us all in so many ways. However, behind the screen, we find ourselves at a crossroads, with the freelancer crisis continuing, production companies and broadcasters under pressure and the continual challenge of staying relevant in these ever-changing times. There will be a lot to discuss, debate and discover this year, and I am excited about not only delivering a festival that sets the agenda for the following 12 months but also celebrates the creativity and passion that drives our industry.”

The festival’s executive chair, Fatima Salaria, added: “I’m proud that Harjeet will be at the helm for this year’s Festival. His experience as a filmmaker, commissioner for Channel 4 and now Prime Video, puts him at the center of our Industry. His passion for nurturing and supporting new talent, regional Indies and outsiders, is much admired. He has a love for making TV that matters and will bring all of this and his desire to change the Industry for the better to the Festival. He has achieved much in his career through sheer hard work which has made him a role model to many.”

Woods commented: “I’m delighted to have Harjeet and this outstanding group of industry leaders on board to help shape this year’s Festival. As the news of the past week has only served to underline, this is a real inflection moment in the industry both in the U.K. and internationally. It’s also a year that will have political implications on a global scale. We look forward to delivering a Festival that feels timely and responsive to the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape; one that brings the industry together to celebrate creative voices, sharp minds and cultural impact while also providing a vital platform for dialogue and debate; and an opportunity to ask tough questions, explore solutions and chart a collective way forward.”

The festival will once again take place at the EICC in Edinburgh from 2 p.m. on August 20 to 2 p.m. on August 23.