Channel 4 Installs Comedy Commissioning Editor

LONDON: Channel 4 has named Jack Bayles, who recently co-produced all three seasons of the network’s hit show Catastrophe, as commissioning editor for comedy.

Bayles started his career working for Frank Skinner before contributing to such studio series as Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Baddiel & Skinner’s Fantasy Football. In 2006 he began collaborating with Russell Brand across stand-up, radio and television. Later in his career, he produced the satirical show Very Important People and two seasons of The Mimic.

More recently, Bayles worked with Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney producing the hit Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe, and with Morgana Robinson as producer on her sketch show Morgana Robinson’s The Agency.

Fiona McDermott, the head of comedy at Channel 4, said: “Having just produced three [seasons] of one of the most critically acclaimed shows in recent years, there are few people as qualified as Jack to bring his editorial eye to C4 comedy. It’s nothing short of a coup to get him to jump sides and work with us here.”

Bayles added: “Channel 4 has a wonderful heritage of original comedy and I’m extremely proud to become part of their future. In Fiona they have an incredibly astute and creative new head of department. It’s an exciting time and I’m very much looking forward to working alongside her and the rest of the team.”