Richard Klein to Depart ITV

LONDON: Richard Klein, who has been serving as ITV’s director of factual, is leaving the broadcaster after two and a half years.

Klein joined ITV from the BBC, where he served as controller of BBC4. He commented: “It has been a great thrill to run ITV Factual for the last two and a half years in what has been demanding times. The changing of the guard at the top provides the perfect opportunity to allow Kevin Lygo to pick his own team, and for me to move on to the next chapter.

“ITV is a world of entertainment and drama and its factual output is always seen in that context. Attracting large audiences to factual programming is one of television’s biggest challenges.

“We have won some and lost some; but I am particularly proud to have commissioned shows like When Ant and Dec Met the Prince, The Mafia with Trevor McDonald, 100-Year-Old Drivers and Rookies. And I am especially pleased that a show like Sugar Free Farm, which tackles serious issues, can achieve real impact in an entertaining and inspiring way.”

Kevin Lygo, ITV’s director of television, added: “I would like to thank Richard for his contribution and wish him all the very best for the future. I’m now looking forward to the next chapter in ITV’s Factual story.”