Docs, factual and lifestyle indie RARE TV has hired Alexander Gardiner as CEO following the recent acquisition of both 360Production and Screenchannel.
 
Gardiner comes to Rare TV from Channel 4, where he served as consultant commissioning editor. This followed a stint as managing director of Shiver, where he led the restructuring of the ITV Studios-owned indie. Gardiner’s regional credentials also include serving as creative director for the Factual North arm of ITV Studios.
 
Gardiner’s credits include co-executive producing the first series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, spearheading the first-ever UK political party Leaders’ Debate in 2010, launching ITV’s flagship political show Peston on Sunday in 2016 and overseeing Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile.
 
Graham Coxell, Non-Executive Chairman of RARE said: ‘In addition to Alex’s unquestionable media and TV credentials to lead RARE through the next chapter of its development, Alex has a very strong sense of ethics and desire to make a positive impact on our community as demonstrated by his numerous voluntary activities focused at ‘giving back’. It was these credentials, and Alex’s values which made him a stand out candidate to take on the role as CEO of RARE amongst some very strong competition. We are therefore delighted to welcome him on board.’
 
Gardiner said: “For me, there’s nothing more satisfying than unlocking potential — both individual and corporate — and Rare has potential by the bucket load. The range in its portfolio hugely appeals to me but doesn’t directly replicate what I’ve already done allowing a fresh challenge and potential to explore new territory. I love to provoke conversation through stories on TV and here we have everything from quality daytime lifestyle superbrands to blue chip docs. More importantly, I’m coming into a team with the talent, energy and enthusiasm to realise it all.’
 
Rare TV’s credits include BBC hit Pandemic, long-running BBC franchises Digging for Britain, The Sheriffs Are Coming and Fake Britain, and RTE’s Crimecall. The indie, with offices in London, Belfast and Dublin, more than doubled its production hours last year and has recently won several primetime factual commissions, including King Arthur’s Britain for BBC Two, Tagged for BBC Three and Lockerbie: The Unheard Voices for Channel 5. New titles on Rare TV’s growing US slate include a major six-part series, entitled Egypt’s Unexplained Files, for Discovery Science.

Staff Reporter

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