91Èȱ¬

91Èȱ¬ in-house Entertainment today announces the appointment of Sarah Edwards as Head of Format Entertainment Development. Sarah will take up her post in early January 2010.

Sarah will work alongside Martin Scott, Head of Format Entertainment in London, Helen Bullough, Head of Entertainment Production, Manchester, and Scotland's Head of Entertainment and Events Eileen Herlihy, developing new entertainment formats across all three production bases.

Sarah, currently Head of Development, Entertainment at Talkback Thames, and a former Head of Development at 12 Yard Productions, has developed entertainment formats for all the UK's major broadcasters including ITV's new dating show Take Me Out, Hole In The Wall (91Èȱ¬), Weakest Link (91Èȱ¬), Dog Eat Dog (91Èȱ¬), Friends Like These (91Èȱ¬), Eggheads (91Èȱ¬), Jet Set (91Èȱ¬), In It To Win It (91Èȱ¬), Without Prejudice (Channel 4) and Coach Trip (Channel 4).

Sarah said: "I am very excited to be coming back to the 91Èȱ¬. It's a brilliant time to get stuck into developing some new ideas for one of the few production teams capable of making big hit shows.

"I have had a fantastic time at Talkback Thames, working with some of the best entertainment teams in the business, but as a development person I couldn't resist a job where there are real opportunities for big and exciting commissions. I am looking forward to the challenge."

Martin Scott said: "Sarah's credentials for creating exciting, appealing and unique entertainment formats are second to none and I'm delighted that in-house entertainment will have such a creative force and leader."

Eileen Herlihy said: "I am very excited about the benefits that Sarah will bring to in-house entertainment with her working collaboratively across all three of our production bases."

Helen Bullough said: "We're all looking forward to surprising and delighting audiences with the next generation of entertainment formats created under Sarah's expert leadership."

Notes to Editors

91Èȱ¬ in-house Entertainment and Events is responsible for some of the UK's most-watched and loved entertainment and factual entertainment formats, most notably Strictly Come Dancing, Top Gear, Dragons' Den, Eurovision Song Contest, Weakest Link, The Restaurant and Mastermind, to name but a few.

The department is also responsible for the coverage of events such as Trooping The Colour, the Dimbleby Lecture, Festival Of Remembrance and, most recently, Gary Barlow's Children In Need Concert and Children In Need itself.

KT