Global film and TV studio Fifth Season (formerly Endeavor Content) has appointed Ben Irving to the newly created position of Creative Director, UK Television.
He will join the studio in November from the BBC, where he has served as Acting Director of Drama.
Building on Fifth Season’s decade long business of distributing UK series such as Killing Eve, The Night Manager and Normal People, and coming off producing the 14-Emmy nominated hit series Severance, Irving’s new role will be to lead the studio’s UK production and development team, working across the studio’s existing UK-based development projects as well as building new global series “in collaboration with the best of the British creative community – both established and emerging.”
“Chris, Graham, Joe and the wider team have built something special in Fifth Season, and I’m hugely excited to join the next phase of the studio’s evolution,” said Irving. “The company has always had a strong international focus, and together we will build on their many successes to further ramp up the studio’s TV productions, continuing to support and empower the best creators and producers in the UK, and beyond, to tell stories that will resonate with global audiences.
“It’s been a huge privilege to spend the last five years at the BBC under the exceptional leadership of Charlotte Moore, working with some of the most dynamic and creative commissioners, producers, writers and directors in the business on a slate of incredible range and ambition. I look forward to continuing my relationships with them all.”
“As we continue our plans to expand the studio across the globe, Ben is the key ingredient we were looking for,” said Joe Hipps, EVP, TV Production and Development. “His prolific experience, strategic sensibilities, long-standing creative relationships and exceptional taste for great programs will be instrumental as our presence grows in the UK.”
Prior to joining Fifth Season, Irving was Acting Director of Drama at the BBC, overseeing all of the BBC’s primetime drama output. He joined BBC Drama as Head of Development in 2017 and worked as Commissioning Editor from 2018-2022. Executive Producer credits for the BBC include: His Dark Materials, Sherwood, Giri/Haji, Industry, The Capture, Chloe, The Girl Before, Gentleman Jack, as well as Doctor Who, Steven Moffat’s Inside Man and the forthcoming final series of Happy Valley from Sally Wainwright. Prior to joining the BBC, Ben was VP, Development and Production at David Heyman’s production company Heyday Films, and worked on features including GRAVITY, PADDINGTON, PADDINGTON 2, FANTASTIC BEATS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM and Jack Thorne’s adaptation of THE SECRET GARDEN. Early in his career he worked in development at Warner Bros Pictures in London with Ollie Madden, and for Michael Kuhn at Qwerty Films.
Jon Creamer
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