COMMISSIONING TEAM
BEN FROW, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER, UK, PARAMOUNT
Ben is Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount, with oversight of 5 and its digital brands, the wider Paramount channel portfolio.
Over the past 12 years, Ben has spearheaded a creative transformation that culminated in the channel’s rebrand to 5 in March 2025, uniting the broadcaster’s linear and streaming platforms under one roof. This evolution reflects a decade-long journey of renewal, repositioning the brand as the home of award-winning content that tells the story of modern Britain.
Under his leadership there has been a fundamental shift in 5’s reputation and increased appeal to wider audiences, recognised through a raft of industry accolades including Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2025; a Grierson Award for Suicidal: In Our Own Words, and BAFTA and RTS wins in 2024 for White Nanny, Black Child.
ADRIAN PADMORE, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, UNSCRIPTED, 5
Adrian Padmore is a Commissioning Editor of Non-Scripted UK originals at 5, working across documentaries and a variety of factual formats. He joined in Channel 5 in May 2017. Adrian commissioned the BAFTA and RTS award winning White Nanny Black Child and the hard hitting exposé My Wife My Abuser: The Secret Footage, as well as compelling investigations including Captain Tom: Where Did It All Go Wrong; Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger; Who Killed Billie Jo and Andes Plane Crash. In the popular factual space, he is also responsible for access series including Inside the Force; Motorway Cops; Traffic Cops; Police Interceptors and Secrets of the Royal Palaces; as well as travelogues like The Amazon with Robson Green and Sue Perkins: Lost in Thailand.Contact: Adrian.Padmore@paramount.com
DAN LOUW, CONTENT STRATEGY AND COMMISSIONING EDITOR, NON-SCRIPTED UK ORIGINALS, 5
Dan works across Factual, Factual Entertainment and Specialist Factual programming for 5 and its digital portfolio.
Recent commissions include true crime documentaries with streamer appeal, like 2024’s Lucy Letby: Did She Really Do It?, the award-winning Child Snatcher and The Philpott Fire: A Very British Horror Story. Other hit single documentaries include M&S: Back On Top; Petrol Vs Electric and Smart Meters: Should You Get One?
Dan is also responsible for long-running, returning series such as the streaming-hit 22 Kids & Counting and the multi award-winning Springtime / Winter On the Farm. He also introduced hit series like Supermarket Own Brands: The Big Taste Test and Taste Test Restaurant.
Contact: Daniel.Louw@paramount.com
DENISE SENEVIRATNE, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, NON-SCRIPTED UK ORIGINALS, 5
Denise Seneviratne is Commissioning Editor, Non-Scripted UK originals for 5. Reporting to Chief Content Officer Ben Frow, she is responsible for expanding 5’s factual slate. Among her recent commissions for 5 are Wonders of the Moon and Mysteries of the Pyramids with Dara O'Briain. Denise also commissioned BAFTA-nominated Endurance: Race to the Pole featuring Ben Fogle and Dwayne Fields; The Yorkshire Vet, Happy Campers, Big Brits Go Large, Inside Tesco: 24/7 and Wife on Strike. She has continually developed the channel’s popular Bargain Loving Brits brand and recently commissioned the ‘…By the Sea’ format for daytime. Denise also commissions True Crime programmes for 5, such as Killer at the Crime Scene and most recently, Killer Makes a Call. Prior to joining Paramount in 2019, she executive produced Paul O’Grady’s Little Heroes for ITV, as well as Meet the Humans and Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents for the BBC. She was also Series Editor on BBC Two’s Reverse Missionaries and Secret Life of 4-Year-Olds on Channel 4.Contact: Denise.Seneviratne@paramount.comFEDERICO RUIZ, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, 5
Federico Ruiz works across a wide range of unscripted programming for 5 and its digital portfolio. Reporting to Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount, Ruiz is interested in a wide and varied range of unscripted output, including crime, history, gritty 9pm access docu-series, formats and adventure/travel. He also looks after the morning shows on 5, including the hugely popular Jeremy Vine show.
Ruiz has commissioned shows such as the award-winning The Incident Room, Into the Congo with Ben Fogle, Trauma Room One, Body In The Bag and The Girl In the Box.
Ruiz joined Paramount from Firecracker Films where he held the role of Head of Factual Entertainment, exec producing a wide range of programming; including multiple seasons of hit series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings US. Previous credits include TOWIE, Coach Trip and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now!
Contact: Federico.Ruiz@paramount.com
GREG BARNETT, COMMISSIONING COMMISSIONING EDITOR, UK ORIGINALS, 5
Greg Barnett works across Factual, Factual Entertainment and Drama for 5 and its digital portfolio. Reporting to Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount, he is interested in a wide range of ideas, from access-led popular documentaries and concepts that celebrate national icons or institutions, to scripted thrillers.
In Factual Entertainment, Greg has commissioned Cruising with Jane McDonald; Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop; Joanna Lumley: In My Own Words; and Remembering The 70’s: Those Were The Days. His drama commissions include Suspects; Lie With Me; Riptide and Heat.
Contact: Greg.Barnett@paramount.com
GUY DAVIES, CONSULTANT EDITOR FOR COMMISSIONING, 5
Guy Davies has been Commissioning Editor, Factual at 5 since September 2013. He is responsible for commissioning a diverse slate of peak-time programming across the channel in all factual genres.
At 5, Davies has commissioned three world exclusive series with Michael Palin sending the much-loved presenter to North Korea then Iraq, and to Nigeria 2023; the award-winning 999 Critical Condition; BAFTA, RTS and Grierson Award nominees Rich House Poor House and The Accused , and other long-running documentary series and formats. He also commissions successful blue light content such as Police Suspect No.1 and Forensic Murder Scene. He recently brought James May to 5 for ‘The Great Explorers’, and also commissioned Michael Portillo’s travel series.
Davies’ other commissions have included the Grierson winning Suicidal: In Their Own Words, the RTS Best Single Documentary winner and BAFTA nominee Raped: My Story; and Edinburgh TV Awards Documentary of the Year winner The Abused.
Contact: Guy.Davis@paramount.com
KATE ANSELL, FACTUAL COMMISSIONING EDITOR, 5
Kate Ansell is responsible for a broad range of factual programming for Channel 5 and its digital portfolio, reporting to Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount. She has commissioned several series, including Casualty 24/7, Malta: Jewel of the Med, Shop Smart, Save Money and Skin A&E. In addition, she has commissioned one-off films including Will You Get Dementia?, Am I Autistic? and The Killing Spree: Hunting Joanna Dennehy. Kate joined Paramount in 2022. Prior to that, she was an Executive Producer at Firecrest Films and an Assistant Commissioner for BBC Daytime and Early Peak. Contact: Kate.Ansell@paramount.comKIT MOREY, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, 5
Kit Morey (they/them) is responsible for commissioning fresh, exciting content in the Popular Factual space that reflects the 5 brand whilst capturing viewers and creating returnable formats.
Since joining 5, they have commissioned more than 200 hours of prime time shows, including Toy Hospital, Motorhoming with Merton & Webster, Lost Dogs with Clare Balding, Wonders of The Human Body with Michael Mosley, The Hospital: Life on The Line, Inside The Hilton, Sally Lindsay’s Posh Sleepover and the RTS nominated Air Fryer shows.
Kit has also commissioned high volume returnable formats such as Million Pound Motorhomes, Ben Fogle’s Make a New Life in The Country, 999: Emergency Call Out and Ambulance Code Red, which is 5Star’s highest rated factual series, while also overseeing popular returners such as Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, Rich Kids Go Skint and The Hotel Inspector.
Contact: Kit.Morey@paramount.com
LUCY WILLIS, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, FACTUAL, 5
Lucy is a Commissioning Editor at 5 where she looks after a wide-ranging factual slate including documentaries, popular factual and history. She has been responsible for commissioning a number of the channel's peak-time programmes, including Warship: Life at Sea; Inside the Tower of London as well as the stripped history event The Great Plague and The Disappearance of Shannon Matthews.
Lucy was also behind the major eight-part drama documentary series Eight Days That Made Rome; Diana: Seven Days That Shook The Windsor’s; and the Cotswolds with Pam Ayres. Lucy's most recent commission was a Secrets of Our Universe with Tim Peake fronted by the British Astronaut.
Contact: Lucy.Willis@paramount.com
PAUL TESTAR, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, DRAMA, 5
Paul joined Paramount in January 2022 working across the 5 scripted slates. He works closely with Deputy Director of Programmes Sebastian Cardwell expanding and overseeing the scripted slates.
Since joining Paramount, Paul has commissioned over one hundred hours of drama series including Ellis, The Hardacres, Coma and The Inheritance for 5.
Before joining Paramount, Paul was a producer for Mammoth Screen with credits including The Serpent (BBC1/Netflix) and The Tower (ITV). He has also been a script editor on numerous shows for the BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon and Channel 4.
Contact: Paul.Testar@paramount.com
SEBASTIAN CARDWELL, HEAD OF DRAMA, DEPUTY CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER, UK, PARAMOUNT
Sebastian Cardwell is Deputy Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount which includes 5 and its digital brands, the wider Paramount channel portfolio. Sebastian is responsible for devising strategy across the portfolio, with a specific focus on drama and original content.
He joined the business in 2011 and has been instrumental in 5’s continued evolution into a destination for high quality originations across a range of genres, with an emphasis on original drama in peak slots. He has spearheaded 5’s increased investment in original drama, giving rise to hits such as the reboot of All Creatures Great and Small, Penance, The Deceived and The Drowning. Seb was previously Digital Controller at Channel 5, responsbile for the day-to-day running of its digital channels, commissioning, acquisitions and channel management. In this role, he commissioned titles such as prison drama Clink, as well as Celebs on the Farm and It’s Your Fault I’m Fat.Contact: Sebastian.Cardwell@paramount.com
