DSP Taps BBC Exec as Joint MD

LONDON: The Endemol Shine Group-owned production outfit Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) has hired Donna Clark, currently the BBC’s acting head of formats and features commissioning, to serve as joint managing director.

Clark will be working alongside the existing managing director, Emily Dalton. During her time at the BBC, Clark commissioned a slate of successful shows, among them Full Steam Ahead and Eat Well for Less. Prior to the BBC, she was director of factual at Lion TV. Clark will join DSP in March.

Kim Shillinglaw, the director of factual at Endemol Shine UK, said; “I’m a great believer in the audience appetite for content-rich popular factual. The ratings for shows like Back in Time for Dinner, Inside the Factory, Arctic Live, Eat Well for Less and Trust Me I’m Doctor all show how powerful the mix of pleasure and content can be. With her commitment to high-quality popular factual, love of rolling her sleeves up to get a big show right and experience across program-making and commissioning, I’m delighted Donna is joining to help build on Emily’s terrific creativity at DSP.”

Clark added: “I’ve always admired the quality output of DSP and can’t wait to join the brilliant team to create the next generation of popular, content-rich factual hits and to really take the company into new exciting areas.”

Dalton said: “At DSP we play across the widest range of factual genres, from pure drama to live events and lots in between—but all our ideas are about scale, innovation and great content. Donna’s track record in clever, original popular factual and formats makes her the perfect fit to help DSP grow into new areas. I’m really looking forward to working with her.”