ITV expands drama team ahead of ITVX launch, with Mammoth Screen’s TV chief among hires

World On Fire

UK commercial broadcaster ITV is expanding its drama team ahead of the launch of streamer ITVX with three new additions, including the director of TV at Mammoth Screen.

Helen Ziegler will become senior commissioning editor from January and will lead on ITVX’s drama slate, as well as shows for flagship channel ITV.

Ziegler has worked on Mammoth shows including World On Fire for BBC One, as well as the recent Agatha Christie adaptations by Sarah Phelps for the same channel. She was also behind Why Didn’t They Ask Evans for BritBox UK, Tom Jones for Masterpiece and ITV.

ITV has also appointed Helen Perry as commissioning editor for drama, also starting in January. Perry is on a fixed-term year contract to support the expanded slate and joins from the BBC, where she is currently an assistant commissioner for drama.

Before joining the BBC, Perry was script executive at Bad Wolf, where she worked on HBO/BBC drama Industry. 

Also joining in January is Callum Dziedzic, who will become assistant commissioner for drama and comedy. He moves to the role from ITV Studios, where he is currently a development executive. During that stint, Dziedzic worked with Patrick Spence and set-up the Disabled Writers in Development Programme, which he will continue to oversee as part of this new position.

Prior to ITVS, Dziedzic worked at Sister, Pulse Films and The Forge, with credits on Giri/Haji for BBC2 and Netflix, and Ackley Bridge for Channel 4.

ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, said: “With the arrival of ITVX, our drama hours are increasing significantly. That means we are able to expand the range of what we’re offering our audience in the space of high quality popular drama, so there’s big opportunities for producers and it feels like the right time to expand the team.”