New Channel 4 commissioning and scheduling roles announced

Channel 4 today announced two new roles within the commissioning and scheduling teams with the appointment of Ed Havard as Head of Events and Richard Brent as Controller of Scheduling. 

In the new role of Head of Events, Ed Havard will oversee all of Channel 4’s major live programming and events outside of C4 News – including live sports events. Sports Editor, Jamie Aitchison will report into him and he will also work alongside commissioners across a range of genres on other channel-wide projects and major events.

Currently C4 Channel Executive working on strategic projects with Jay Hunt, Havard led Channel 4’s hugely successful launch of Stand Up To Cancer last year and has worked to co-ordinate programming around major events such as The Grand National. 

He was previously the Editor of BBC ONE’s Question Time – overseeing the flagship show’s coverage of the 2010 General Election as well as leading BBC THREE’s election programming.  He has a background in BBC News and Current Affairs working on a range of live programming and also led a BBC team developing a digital arts service for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Richard Brent has also been appointed to the new role of Controller of Scheduling – leading the scheduling teams for all of the corporation’s portfolio of channels.  The creation of the new role follows the departure of Controller of Channel Management George Dixon who has taken up the role of Controller of RTE ONE for the Irish broadcaster.

Richard is currently Channel Manager for Channel 4 and was previously Head of Scheduling and Planning at Channel Five, and before that held senior scheduling roles for BBC ONE and BBC Daytime.

Both roles report to Chief Creative Officer, Jay Hunt.

ENDS