‘The Favourite’ Producer Element Ramps Up TV Division With Hire Of Channel 4 Exec As Head Of Development
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The Favourite and The Room producer Element Pictures is bolstering its nascent TV division with the hire of former Channel 4 exec Jonny Richards as head of TV development, effective immediately.
In the newly created role Richards will oversee Dublin and London-based Element Pictures’ continued push into small screen drama, expanding its development slate for the UK, U.S. and international market. He will be based at Element Pictures’ London office and will report into recently appointed head of television, Anna Ferguson.
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The film company’s growing TV slate includes BBC-Hulu drama Normal People, the adaption of Sally Rooney’s hit novel, and The Dublin Murders for BBC and Starz.
At Channel 4, Richards was a drama commissioning executive overseeing several shows, including the third series of popular returners No Offence and Humans, James Graham’s critically acclaimed single film Brexit: The Uncivil War and the upcoming six-part drama Baghdad Central, written by Stephen Butchard.
He oversaw the BAFTA-nominated anthology On The Edge, as well as Channel 4’s new writer scheme, 4Screenwriting. Previously, he spent six years at ITV Studios label Silverprint Pictures, developing new projects and script-editing shows including two series of ITV’s crime drama Vera.
Richards said of his appointment, “I’ve long admired Element Pictures’ work and am delighted to be joining the company as it grows its original TV output. It’s a privilege to be working with Ed, Andrew, Anna and a team that is passionate about bringing unique voices to the screen.”
Element added, “We are incredibly proud of our achievements with our feature films, and we are excited to bring the same authentic and visually unique qualities to our television dramas. Jonny has an incredible development track record and a brilliant eye for discovering distinctive and engaging stories, so we are thrilled that he has joined the team to build our current slate and deliver world-class ambitious drama.”
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