New Head of News, Current Affairs & Sport at Channel 4

Channel 4 has tapped Louisa Compton as head of news and current affairs, replacing Dorothy Byrne, who announced she was stepping down from the role earlier this month.

Compton will be responsible for overseeing Channel 4’s multi-award-winning news and current affairs programming as well as overseeing sport, with Head of Sport Pete Andrews reporting into her. Compton joined Channel 4 in 2018 as commissioning editor for news and current affairs and has overseen Dispatches. Before joining Channel 4, Compton was responsible for launching the BAFTA- and RTS award-winning Victoria Derbyshire BBC program.

Ian Katz, director of programs, said: “Dorothy Byrne is a very hard act to follow but if anyone is equipped to it’s Louisa. She has a remarkable combination of news experience, eye for a story and creative flair that won her multiple awards as a program editor and has helped her make Dispatches the hardest hitting current affairs program in Britain. She will be a brilliant custodian of Channel 4’s proud tradition of in-depth reporting and investigation and will also oversee our award-winning sports coverage.”

Compton added: “I’m thrilled to be taking on this role at a time when news and current affairs has never been more important or relevant to people’s lives. Channel 4 has an unrivaled record of award-winning, agenda-setting journalism and I look forward to continuing that legacy and working with such talented journalists and filmmakers who contribute to our output.  Pete Andrews and the rest of the sport team do an amazing job and I’m delighted to continue to work with them on the channel’s sports coverage.”