Channel 5 Names ITN Productions New Producer of The Wright Stuff

Channel 5 has appointed ITN Productions as the new producer tasked with refreshing the weekday current affairs show The Wright Stuff.

The daily program will continue to be hosted by presenter and journalist Matthew Wright and will air Monday to Friday. The team will pioneer digital content to enhance the program. The Wright Stuff will also allow guests to interact. The goal is to transform The Wright Stuff from a two-hour TV broadcast into a multiplatform brand that lives beyond its TV airtime via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The show will broadcast live from a brand-new studio in ITN’s central London headquarters from January 2018. The Wright Stuff will benefit from closer collaboration with 5 News, also produced by ITN.

The reinvigorated program was commissioned by Channel 5’s director of programs, Ben Frow, and its commissioning executive, Lara Akeju. The Wright Stuff will be executive produced by Ian Rumsey and Chris Shaw from ITN Productions, and Rachel Corp, editor of 5 News, alongside Akeju for Channel 5.

Wright said: “This is the beginning of a new era for The Wright Stuff. With the might of ITN behind me, I believe we can take Britain’s brightest daytime show into exciting new directions.”

Channel 5’s Akeju added, “ITN Productions is the ideal partner to reinvigorate and refresh a much-loved program, which delivers over 400 hours of punchy, informative and accessible current affairs programming every year. I would like to offer our thanks to all at Princess Productions for their dedication and hard work over nine years in helping The Wright Stuff build an army of fans throughout the U.K.”

Rumsey, the head of topical programs at ITN Productions, commented, “The Wright Stuff has a proud history, a charismatic host and a legacy of punching above its weight. This is an exciting opportunity to revitalize the show and ITN Productions is in a unique position to re-invigorate a much-loved program with content that reacts quickly to reflect the national conversation, attracting a broader audience while retaining its irrepressible appeal.”

5 News’ Corp remarked, “I am delighted that The Wright Stuff will be working so closely with 5 News on a daily basis and be able to tap into the wealth of experience and knowledge in the newsroom. The program is all about having the right conversation—and the joined-up approach with news will bring insight on fast-moving stories, injecting pace and narrative to the morning agenda.”