Claire Hookway joins UKTV commissioning team for original drama

UKTV has appointed Claire Hookway to the newly created role of Commissioning Executive to bolster the development of the multi-channel broadcasters growing slate of original drama.

Joining the team led by Hilary Rosen, Director of Commissioning for UKTV, and reporting to Helen Perry, Head of Drama, Claire will support the delivery of scripted drama programmes across UKTV's Alibi, U&DRAMA and U&Dave channels. UKTV's growing portfolio of original dramas includes U&DRAMA's smash hit show The Marlow Murder Club, which is returning to screens next year; and Alibi series' The Red King and Annika, the latter of which was UKTV's highest-rating show of 2023.

Brand new upcoming drama series include Chris Lang's I, Jack Wright; Bookish created by Mark Gatiss; and Mudtown, a co-pro with S4C, for Alibi; alongside the highly anticipated reimagining of Bergerac and the Mitford sisters' drama Outrageous, both of which will launch on U&DRAMA and U in 2025.

"I'm excited to join an exceptional team of creatives"Claire said, I am delighted to be joining Hilary Rosen and Helen Perry at such an exciting time for UKTV and can't wait to support Helen's bold and ambitious drama strategy. UKTV is home to some of the most beloved shows across the nation, and I'm excited to join an exceptional team of creatives who are striving to grow the TV drama landscape and deliver high-quality entertainment for UK audiences. It is a huge privilege to be joining Helen's team as she leads us into a new phase of UKTV drama, and I'm looking forward to working with producers, writers, and directors to deliver record-breaking drama content, whilst championing distinctive storytelling.

Claire joins UKTV from Paramount where she was a Senior Creative Executive at Paramount Television International Studios (PTIS), working across multiple original drama commissions for Paramount+ including A Gentleman in Moscow, No Escape, Sexy Beast and the upcoming series The Road Trip, an adaptation of Beth O'Leary's novel of the same name.

Before joining Paramount, Claire was a Development Editor at Big Light Productions where her credits included Leonardo for Amazon and Rai, and Radio Man for Audible. Prior to that, Claire built her scripted production experience working on dramas including World on Fire(Mammoth Screen for BBC), The Bay (Tall Story Pictures for ITV), Bulletproof (Vertigo Films for Sky), and EastEnders and Holby City (BBC Studios for BBC). Claire's career began on the BBC's Production Apprenticeship scheme.

Helen Perry, Head of Drama, UKTV, said: I am delighted Claire is joining the commissioning team at this brilliant time for UKTV drama. Claire's arrival marks an exciting point of expansion as we are increasing not only our investment in original drama, but also our ambition to deliver high quality popular drama to a growing audience. Claire brings a wealth of experience and a fresh creative perspective, and her range and versality will be invaluable in continuing to realise UKTV's ambition to be the home of bold, unmissable and entertaining drama. I can't wait to work with her.

Further strengthening UKTV's commissioning team, Kirsty Hanson, formerly Commissioning Editor, has been promoted to the role of Senior Commissioning Editor for Factual and Factual Entertainment. With a raft of high-profile primetime series to her name, Kirsty's commissioning credits at UKTV include Alex Jones: Making Babies, Katherine Ryan: Parental Guidance, Blackadder: A Cunning Story and Blackadder: The Lost Pilot, and the recently announced Back from the Dead: Who Kidnapped Me? and Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out.

For further information please contact:

Yvette Dore, Corporate Communications, UKTV

About UKTV

UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY, Gold, Alibi and Eden - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to UK viewers through free streaming service U, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview and Freesat; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV's content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Pluto TV and Virgin Media.

UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers. The broadcaster is part of BBC Studios, the UKs most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the worlds leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.

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UKTV Corporate Website: https://corporate.uktv.co.uk/

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