The Stage

BBC senior producer Lewis joins ITV drama team

Published Thursday 27 September 2007 at 15:45 by Matthew Hemley

ITV has boosted its in-house drama production team by hiring three new members of staff, including BBC senior producer Kate Lewis.

Lewis, who has worked on shows such as Blackpool and The Alan Clarke Diaries, will join ITV Productions’ drama department as an executive producer.

The department has also hired script editor Julia Walsh as the department’s new head of development. Walsh edited scripts for BBC Films before moving to BBC Serials and has worked on shows such as A Thing Called Love.

Meanwhile, freelance development editor Elaine Collins has been appointed books executive, acting as a contact for publishers and agents. Collins will also script edit ITV Productions’ Love Falls, based on the Esther Freud novel.

ITV productions controller of drama Kate Bartlett said: “I’m thrilled that Kate, Julia and Elaine will be joining our drama team. They are all extremely talented and this is an exciting time to be working at ITV.”

Earlier this month, ITV executive chairman Michael Grade said he wanted ITV productions to account for 75% of ITV1’s commissioning spend going forward, compared with its current 54%.

He said drama in particular was one area he wanted ITV Productions to improve on, calling it an “urgent priority”.