Channel 4 has named Twofour chief executive David Brindley as director of programmes.
As the broadcaster’s key creative leader, Brindley will define the editorial vision and commissioning across the scripted and unscripted output of its newly-merged unscripted and scripted teams and lifestyle.
He will be tasked with partnering producers and creative talent to champion and develop the next wave of breakthrough C4 shows.
While Brindley effectively takes over from former chief content officer Ian Katz, he will share editorial leadership with C4 director of news, digital and audience trust Louisa Compton in a senior commissioning team that also includes director of content strategy Kiran Nataraja.
The appointment marks a return to C4 for Brindley, at a challenging time for the broadcaster, which is currently in the process of cutting a record number of jobs.
As a former documentary commissioner, he oversaw C4 returning series One Born Every Minute, 24 Hours in A&E and 999: What's Your Emergency and emerging director strand First Cut.
He is synonymous with C4’s Educating brand, initially as a director, then as a commissioner and then as an executive producer at Twofour.
In his six years at ITV Studios-owned Twofour, Brindley has led a slate including The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy and Awkwafina: the Unlikely Cook (Apple TV), Destination X (BBC/NBC), The Box (ITV) and BBC3’s I Kissed A Boy and I Kissed A Girl.
He was previously BBC head of popular factual and factual entertainment commissioning, heading up an annual programming slate of more than 350 hours, spanning Race Across the World, Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Interior Design Masters, The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan and The Rap Game UK.
“David has a proven ability to nurture the ideas and talent that create truly standout television,” said C4 chief executive Priya Dogra. “With hundreds of hours of award-winning shows under his belt and deep experience working in public service broadcasting, he is the ideal person to join our existing creative leadership team and help us deliver our vision for the future of Channel 4.”
Brindley added: “At a moment of seismic change within the industry and the channel, it has never been more important to ensure Channel 4 thrives creatively, by deepening its connection with audiences and the production community across the country.
“The UK is home to the world’s best creatives, producers and storytellers, nurtured in no small part by the strength of our public service broadcasters. I want Channel 4 to be the place where those creatives and producers feel trusted and free to do their most challenging, entertaining and distinctive work.
“I’m excited to get started working with Priya, Kiran, Louisa and the wider team, delivering the next generation of innovative, culture-defining programmes that get viewers talking across the UK.”
