Kitty Walshe, Managing Director of Remarkable Factual, is to take on a newly created role which will put her at the helm of sister non scripted company RDF as well as Remarkable Factual.
The announcement follows the recent news of Jim Allen’s decision to step down as Managing Director of RDF after 12 years with the business.
In her new role, Kitty will oversee the creative teams from both companies with a combined output which currently comprises of over 400 hours per year. With production bases in Glasgow (Remarkable) and Bristol (RDF West), and RDF labels Fizz and Little Wonder, output spans factual entertainment, specialist factual, documentaries and daytime, with a significant proportion being made outside of London.
Kitty has overseen an extraordinary period of success at Remarkable Factual over the past 6 years which has seen the launch of innovative new formats such as Your Home Made Perfect (BBC Two), Virtually History (YouTube), Don’t Diet Lose Weight (Channel 4) and the recently announced series Dr, Can You See Me Now? (w/t BBC Two). She has also driven consistent audience growth for returners including Sunday Brunch (now in its 10th series and delivering record audiences) and Animal Park (consistently number 1 in its slot).
Kitty will now work with the RDF team to oversee their extensive, multi genre slate, including a range of popular returners such as Eat Well for Less (BBC One), Tipping Point (ITV), Lightning (BBC Two), Anton Ferdinand; Football Racism and Me (BBC One) and most recently Craig and Bruno’s Great British Road Trips (ITV) and an impressive heritage of successful brands including the likes of The Secret Life of 4,5 & 6 Year Olds, Secret Millionaire and Wife Swap.
Lucinda Hicks CEO, Banijay UK:
“Creative leaders like Kitty are incredibly rare so I’m delighted that she is taking on this overarching leadership role. She’s a brilliant format creator, relentless in her pursuit of fresh new ideas and is the perfect fit for RDF.
Further appointments within the RDF and Remarkable leadership teams will be made by Kitty in due course, but I’m hugely excited about what these two incredibly talented teams can achieve under Kitty’s leadership.”
Kitty Walshe said:
“The breadth of output and range of talent across both companies is utterly inspiring and the opportunity to provide strategic leadership, to get the very best out of both businesses, is irresistible. There are so many great ideas and fantastic people within RDF I can’t wait to get started.”
Reporting directly to Banijay UK CEO Lucinda Hicks, Kitty will take up her new role from beginning of 2022.