Channel 4 celebrates Ally Castle and Louisa Compton, winners at the 2023 Women In Film & Television Awards

1 December 2023

Channel 4’s Ally Castle and Louisa Compton have been recognised for their outstanding work at today’s Women In Film & Television UK Awards 2023, which celebrate the achievements of women in the industry.

Ally Castle, Channel 4 Consultant on Disability Initiatives, is one of the joint winners with Tanya Motie, for the ITV Studios Achievement of the Year Award championing the TV Access Project (TAP).  Presented by Jack Thorne, this Award recognises women who have made a significant impact in any aspect of production or change in women’s equality.

Louisa Compton, Head of News, Current Affairs, Specialist Factual and Sport at Channel 4 is the winner of the BBC News and Factual Award.  Presented by Victoria Derbyshire, this Award recognises outstanding achievement by a woman in news, factual programming, current affairs or documentary work.

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer at Channel 4 comments: “Women in Film & Television is such an important guild to champion the great work of leaders in our industry.  The awards presented to recognise Ally Castle and Louisa Compton demonstrate the huge impact they have made at Channel 4, the industry and with audiences.  Congratulations to them both alongside all the winners this year.”

Ally Castle is a creative strategist and disability consultant with 20 years’ experience in TV.  She is a former programme-maker setting up her own creative strategy consultancy supporting innovation and editorial decision-making at all levels and stages of the production process.  Ally has passion for diversity representation and portrayal in the screen industries; she was Disability Lead for Channel 4 and the co-lead with her friend and mentor Tanya Motie for the first phase of the ground-breaking TAP.

Louisa is responsible for content ranging from Channel 4 News and Dispatches to Celebrity SAS and the Paralympics.  She joined Channel 4 in 2018 as Commissioning Editor of Dispatches.  In 2020 she was made Head of Department and subsequently set up the new investigation unit, launched the new strand of youth journalism content, Untold and commissioned the BAFTA award-winning Children of the Taliban.  Other programmes she has overseen include Davina McCall’s award-winning Menopause series, RTS-winning Rape: Who’s On Trial? and Undercover Ambulance: NHS in Chaos.

 

 

ABOUT CHANNEL 4

Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For over 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

Through a unique publisher-broadcaster model, Channel 4 commissions its content from the UK independent production sector. Working with around 300 creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

In 2020, Channel 4 launched its Future4 strategy to become a digital-first public service media company and to continue to deliver significant impact for UK audiences and investment into the UK creative economy.

Across its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is turbocharging its efforts to find, nurture and develop talent across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills, Channel 4 is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people, and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions.

Channel 4 has the UK’s biggest free streaming service plus 11 television channels including: Channel 4, E4, E4 Extra, More4, Film4, 4Seven and The Box Plus Network. Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 37 Oscar wins and 88 BAFTA wins in its history.

https://www.channel4.com/