UKTV Ups Two Factual Commissioners

UKTV has promoted commissioning editors Helen Nightingale and Mark Iddon to head of factual and factual entertainment and senior commissioner for comedy entertainment, respectively.

Nightingale joined UKTV in 2015 and has executive produced and commissioned shows across the network, including Emma Willis: Delivering Babies and Women on the Force. Iddon joined the company in 2020 and has earned credits for Comedians Giving Lectures, Late Night Mash, Outsiders and Live at The Moth Club.

In their new roles, Nightingale will oversee all factual and factual-entertainment commissions across the network, and Iddon will lead the comedy entertainment genre. Iddon will also oversee the hiring of a new commissioning executive for comedy entertainment, who will take ownership of digital short-form content and podcasts alongside linear titles. Both executives will report to Hilary Rosen, UKTV’s director of commissioning.

Prior to joining UKTV, Nightingale was head of factual at Gogglebox Entertainment, where she executive produced Singing in the Rainforest for Watch and Young War Widows for ITV. Before that, she was head of popular factual at IWC Media and executive produced shows such as Location, Location, Location; Extreme Fishing with Robson Green; and Rory and Paddy’s Great British Adventure.

Iddon worked at Avalon before joining UKTV. He spent most of his career there as a producer and series producer for shows including Russell Howard’s Good News, Unspun with Matt Forde and Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central. Prior to that, he worked as a development producer at BBC Multiplatform Studio, consulting and developing television and online projects across drama, factual, comedy and entertainment.

“Helen and Mark are both brilliant champions for their respective genres, so it is fantastic to be able to start 2023 by sharing this news,” Rosen said. “I have no doubt that they will continue to commission innovative and engaging series of the highest quality and strengthen UKTV’s reputation for making unique and unmissable content.”

“I’ve had an absolute blast working at UKTV, and now I’m very much looking forward to heading up the factual and fact-ent team and working with the talented commissioners,” Nightingale commented. “We have a fantastic slate, and I’m excited about growing that as we continue to collaborate with producers to get the very best, most ambitious ideas to our channels.”

Iddon added, “I’m looking forward to taking the reins of comedy entertainment at UKTV as we continue to be a home for the best talent to come and do their best stuff.”