Richard Watsham to Exit UKTV

Richard Watsham, chief creative officer at UKTV and global director of acquisitions for BBC Studios and UKTV, is set to exit his post in September.

Watsham joined UKTV as a commissioning editor in 2011 before being upped to director of commissioning, a role he held for nine years. He was elevated to his current posts in November 2022. During his tenure, he helped develop Taskmaster, Dynamo: Magician Impossible, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies and the recent reimagining of Bergerac.

Marcus Arthur, CEO of UKTV, said: “Richard’s contribution to UKTV has been immense. His creative vision and leadership have transformed the reputation and scope of UKTV’s content, delivering hits that have delighted and grown our audiences. Alongside this, he has ensured that UKTV has been an advocate for positive change in the industry, driving initiatives in diversity, inclusion and sustainability. We’re incredibly grateful for everything he’s done for the team and the business, and while we understand his decision to seek a new challenge, he will be sorely missed.”

Watsham said: “It is always a difficult decision to leave somewhere you love, but there are still so many challenges to take on and opportunities to explore that the time is right. Really, the difficulty comes down to the people, though. Our resources are leaner compared to some of our competitors, but we have punched above our weight over and over again due to the passion and brilliant expertise of my colleagues at UKTV. They are second to none in the British TV industry; underestimate them at your peril! I will miss them daily, but I have no doubt our paths will cross again in the future.”