Wise Owl Appoints Head of Development

Wise Owl Films has appointed Ben Gordon as head of development.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ben as our new head of development,” said James Knight, creative director of Wise Owl Films. “He brings a wealth of experience and a tenacious reputation for generating smart contemporary ideas. I’m so pleased to be working alongside him as we continue to strengthen our factual slate into 2026 and beyond.”

In his new role, Gordon will focus on expanding the factual, specialist factual, contemporary history, archive and documentary slates with both linear and digital formats at Wise Owl Films.

Experienced in the role of head of development, Gordon has previously worked for HiddenLight Productions, The Garden Productions, Wag Entertainment and Wall to Wall Television.

Gordon solo-developed the Bafta award-winning The Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story for BBC Two/Four, as well as developing the Back In Time For… brand for BBC Two, Britain’s Secret War Babies for Channel 4, The Shipman Files: A Very British Crime Story for BBC Two, My Family, The Holocaust and Me for BBC One, The Search For Instagram’s Worst Con Artist for ITVX/Netflix and The Real Fatal Attraction for ITVX/Netflix.

“I’m really delighted to have been invited to join James and his fantastic team at Wise Owl and am so looking forward to helping them build on and extend their exciting and varied slate of work,” said Gordon.