Hot Sauce Pictures has announced that Helen Ziegler, currently Senior Commissioning Editor, ITV, is joining the Belfast-based company as Creative Director.
Prior to joining ITV, Ziegler served as Director of Television at Mammoth Screen, where Executive Producer credits included Peter Bowker’s World on Fire for BBC One, Sarah Phelps’ The ABC Murders and other Agatha Christie adaptations for BBC One, Hugh Laurie’s Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? for BritBox UK, Gwyneth Hughes’ Tom Jones for Masterpiece and ITV and Russell Lewis’ Endeavour for ITV.
Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Hot Sauce Pictures, say: “To us, Helen has it all. Ambition, expertise, and a sensibility that chimes so closely with our own. We’re equally inspired and humbled that she’s going to be such a big part of the Hot Sauce journey over the coming years. Our creative partnership is now triangle-shaped, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Helen Ziegler, Creative Director, Hot Sauce Pictures, says: “I have loved and valued my time at ITV and feel very lucky to have worked with Polly Hill and Kevin Lygo at such an iconic broadcaster. I’m now thrilled to take this next step as Creative Director – Declan and Adam are a truly creative force and the chance to build Hot Sauce with them is unmissable. I have long admired their unique approach to storytelling and the opportunity to bring exciting voices to this venture is a dream come true. I can’t wait to get started.”
Polly Hill, Director of Drama, ITV, says: “I have loved working with Helen and I am sorry to see her leave, but I know her heart is in production and so I am excited for her and wish her well in her new venture.”
Hot Sauce was launched as a formal production company in October 2024 when Sony Pictures Television backed investigative journalists-turned-creatives Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson. The duo’s original series Blue Lights, about policing in contemporary Belfast, has been a huge hit for the BBC.
Helen Ziegler will take up her post as Creative Director later in 2025, with further announcements about Hot Sauce’s creative team coming “in due course.”
Jon Creamer
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