Promotions for Fremantle UK Labels Thames & Naked

Within Fremantle UK, Ashley Whitehouse has been promoted to director of programs at Thames and Paul Broadbent has been upped to the same role at Naked.

Whitehouse first began working with Thames in 2011 and helped to produce Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor. Broadbent has over 20 years of experience and has credits for BBC One’s The Apprentice, Netflix’s Buying London and Channel 4’s Gogglebox.

Whitehouse made Thames his permanent home in 2019 as the executive producer of Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, Too Hot to Handle, Family Fortunes, Who Cares Wins, MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream and Battle Camp.

Broadbent helped develop Gogglebox and was series editor for the first three seasons. He has also executive produced the BBC’s Mary Berry Saves Christmas and The Job Centre. His other credits include Strictly Come Dancing, Fame Academy, Hell’s Kitchen, The Only Way is Essex, Made in Chelsea and Big Brother.

In their new roles, Whitehouse and Broadbent are charged with running a slate of big new shows alongside existing hits and further developing new concepts for their respective labels

“I’ve been very fortunate to work closely with both Amelia Brown, CEO of Fremantle UK, and Charlie Irwin, managing director of Thames, over the years, and I couldn’t have asked for better mentors,” Whitehouse said. “I was thrilled to be offered the director of programs role, as I firmly believe that Thames produce some of the best entertainment, reality and game-show formats. I’m excited to work alongside Charlie on both our existing slate and developing new ideas.”

“Ash has been a key member of the Thames family for many years and has been instrumental in the success of some of our biggest shows,” Irwin commented. “He’s one of the very best entertainment producers, incredibly hard-working, passionate and creative and is the perfect person to help oversee and expand our slate as we look ahead to the future.”

Broadbent said, “Naked really is best in class and, in The Apprentice, I’ve been proud to work on such a huge hit. I’m now excited by this new opportunity and look forward to working more closely with Tom and the team on our upcoming slate as well as looking at where we can take the label.”

“Paul has been a deep well of expertise and production knowledge here at Naked, and he has his fingerprints all over one of the most successful shows on British TV in The Apprentice,” added Tom O’Brien, managing director of Naked. “Promoting him to the Director of Programmes role has been a case of hard work and deft skill duly rewarded. It’s all very well deserved, and we look forward to working with Paul ever more closely.”