Meet the Commissioners (Unscripted): Helen Nightingale and Kirsty Hanson, UKTV

For this WFTV’s Meet the Commissioners (Unscripted), we will be joined by Helen Nightingale, Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment for UKTV, and Kirsty Hanson, Commissioning Editor for UKTV.

Helen and Kirsty will be discussing the current landscape of unscripted TV, along with their thoughts on what makes a great show and sharing insights on how to get a project commissioned.

Between them, Helen and Kirsty’s recent commissions include Katie Piper: Jailhouse Mums, Blackadder: The Lost Pilot, Alison & Larry: Billericay to Barry, Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens, Classic Car Garage, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, Wedding Valley, Alex Jones: Making Babies, Rochelle Humes: Interior Designer In The Making, Special Ops: Crime Squad UK, and Secrets of the London Underground.

Event Schedule

18:25: Please join the webinar waiting room

18:30: In conversation with Helen Nightingale and Kirsty Hanson

19:15: Audience Q&A

19:30: Finish

Helen Nightingale

Helen is Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment at UKTV, home of channels including Dave, W, Gold and Yesterday. Since joining the multi-channel broadcaster in 2015 as Commissioning Editor, Helen has executive produced shows across the network and has commissioned the award-winning Emma Willis: Delivering Babies and Katie Piper: Jailhouse Mums for W, Cops On The Rock for Dave and Classic Car Garage for Yesterday.

Prior to joining UKTV, Helen 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 executive producing shows such as Location, Location, Location for Channel 4 and Extreme Fishing with Robson Green

Kirsty Hanson

Kirsty Hanson is an experienced Commissioning Editor and Executive Producer with a raft of high-profile primetime series to her name from Popular Factual and Documentary to Formats and Features. Kirsty has managed major international brands, series with ambitious scale and extreme environments as well as sensitive and compliance-heavy series. Since joining UKTV in 2018, Kirsty has commissioned shows including Blackadder: The Lost Pilot, Alison & Larry: Billericay to Barry, Wedding Valley, Alex Jones: Making Babies, Rochelle Humes: Interior Designer In The Making, The Wedding Fixer, Special Ops: Crime Squad UK, and Sarah Beeny: Renovate Don’t Relocate.

Prior to UKTV, Kirsty was a Commissioning Editor at BBCWW, where commissions include Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby, Meet The Humans with Michael Mosley, Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week, The Secret Helpers, all for BBC2. Other freelance credits include The Hoarder Next Door, The Restaurant Man, How Not To Get Old, Would Like To Meet, What Not To Wear, Antiques Uncovered with Lucy Worsley and Turn Back Your Body Clock.

UKTV

UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.

UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.

How will the online event work?

This event will be live streamed via Zoom.us. Viewing details will be sent via your confirmation.

Attending participants will not be visible to others and will be muted throughout the session. After the talk, there will be an opportunity for audience members to ask their questions to the panel by using the Q&A feature.

This event is for existing WFTV members only.

If you are not a member and would like to join, membership costs just £100 + VAT/yr , please click here or email admin@wftv.org.uk

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