Kim Shillinglaw, the former controller of BBC2 whose credits include Wolf Hall, is to join Big Brother and MasterChef maker Endemol Shine UK as its first director of factual programming.
Shillinglaw, whose successes also include Horrible Histories and Meet the Ukippers, will be responsible for setting the creative and commercial strategy across the Endemol Shine group.
“We see factual as a growth area and Kim as the ideal person to champion our ambitions,” said Peter Salmon, the former director of BBC Studios who joined as Endemol Shine’s global creative chief in March.
“She is a creative who develops and delivers big ideas and has a great track record in innovation plus a wealth of high-level experience. She will be an incredibly valuable addition to the UK team.”
Factual productions by Endemol Shine companies, which include Dragonfly, DSP and Tigress, include Marooned with Ed Stafford for Discovery, BBC1’s The World’s Biggest Flower Market and National Geographic’s Nazi Megastructures.
“It’s a very exciting time to join Endemol Shine UK, there is a rich track record in factual and genuine desire to build and grow this further,” said Shillinglaw.
“We want to be a home for the best talent to do inventive, exciting, high quality work that punches through and grabs the audience’s attention, right across the range of factual.”
Shillinglaw, who many BBC staff saw as a rising star, left the corporation in January after a restructure that saw the BBC1 and BBC2 controller positions scrapped after 50 years.
As controller of BBC2 and BBC4 Shillinglaw notched up an enviable list of achievements including The Real Marigold Hotel, The SuperRich Season, Stargazing Live, Trust me I’m a Doctor, An Hour to Save Your Life and the upcoming reboot of Robot Wars.
She was credited with making BBC2 a livelier and, crucially, younger channel and putting comedy shows such as Mum and Cradle to Grave in peak time.
Shillinglaw will report to Endemol Shine UK chief executive Richard Johnston.
