CPL Productions today announces the appointment of Deborah O’Connor in the new role of Head of Factual Development. Deborah joins the company from Silver River where she was Head Of Development and responsible for a range of factual hits including Grow Your Own Drugs and Little Friends for Planet 24 – both of which she created.
Creative Director Murray Boland said: “Deborah is a genuine original. She has brilliant headline grabbing ideas and a great eye for talent, making her the ideal appointment to expand our factual entertainment output.”
Chief Executive, Danielle Lux said “As our entertainment formats become more successful, we have been looking for the right person to re-energize our factual business alongside the entertainment slate. CPL has a track record in factual features and with Red Arrow’s support this felt like the right time to kick start factual within CPL.”
Deborah O’Connor said: “CPL have a proven track record in delivering innovative, high quality programming and, when it comes to the scale of ideas and talent they offer broadcasters, their ambition and commitment is second to none. I’m looking forward to driving their expansion into factual entertainment and features.”
Deborah has a long record in spotting and developing talent including Lucy Worsley (If Walls Could Talk), James Wong (Grow Your Own Drugs) and Mark Hill (Cracking Antiques) which is a role she will continue with at CPL as the company continues to expand and develop its slate of successful formats.
CPL has had a strong year for its entertainment slate with Sky 1’s A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN nominated for a BAFTA and both ALL STAR MR & MRS and OFF THEIR ROCKERS, rating highly for ITV1. In recognition of their outstanding programming, CPL has been nominated for Best Production Company at the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival at the Channel of the Year Awards.
Deborah’s appointment marks a move back into the factual features genre that CPL previously enjoyed global success with YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.
Red Arrow Entertainment Group acquired a majority interest in CPL in 2012 which allows the UK based production company first access to Red Arrow’s slate of formats, while CPL’s programmes and new formats are distributed by Red Arrow on the global market place.