Channel 4 Exec to Head Up Popular Factual at Two Rivers

The Scottish indie Two Rivers Media has appointed Channel 4 alum Lizi Wootton to the position of head of popular factual.

Wootton joins the company today, August 12, and is set to focus on formats, features and daytime. She joins senior creatives Mick McAvoy, head of factual, who leads on documentaries and specialist factual; and Mirella Breda, whose head of entertainment role spans both entertainment and factual entertainment. Lucy Bacon was recently announced as director of unscripted development, heading a development team working across the full range of factual output.

Wootton comes to Two Rivers from Channel 4, where she was acting head of features and senior commissioning editor of features. During her five years there, Wootton played a key creative role at Channel 4. She commissioned the broadcaster’s highest-rated 8 p.m. origination, Escape to the Chateau, building the series from a short commission into a major TV brand, with the daytime DIY spin-off series delivering the highest daytime ratings in a decade.

As well as launching major series like Jamie Oliver’s Superfoods and managing Great Canal Journeys and Food Unwrapped, her commissions included the ratings winner My Family and the Galapagos, the festive schedule stalwart What Britain Bought and Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages.

Before joining Channel 4 in 2013, Wootton’s production career credits include Secret Eaters for Channel 4 (Endemol, executive producer); Mary’s Bottom Line for Channel 4 (Endemol, series producer); Don’t Blame the Dog for BBC Three (BBC Natural History Unit, series producer); Blood, Sweat and Luxuries for BBC Three (Ricochet, series producer); and What Katie Did Next for ITV2 (ITV Studios, series producer).

Alan Clements, CEO of Two Rivers Media, said: “Since our launch in January, we have made significant progress in our aim to build a world-class creative team. Support from our backers—Kew Media, Noble Grossart and the Channel 4 Growth Fund—has enabled us to fast-track our growth and recruit the very best talent. This is our fourth hire to our senior team, with one more in the pipeline. Lizi is known for creating, producing and delivering high-rating repeatable, returnable brands, including being the force behind some of Channel 4’s biggest features hits. We couldn’t ask for a better Head of Popular Factual.”

Wootton added: “It’s fantastic to be joining such a stand-out indie at this exciting, formative stage. Two Rivers Media is shaping up to become one of the major players in the market with a wealth of creative leadership. I can’t wait to join the team and build a formidable factual footprint both in the U.K. and internationally.”