Channel 4 adds factual commissioners

Channel 4 in the UK has made three appointments to its factual commissioning team, promoting one exec, hiring another and poaching a third from rival Channel 5.

Michelle Chappell

Experienced filmmaker and executive producer Alf Lawrie and current Channel 4 News deputy editor Shaminder Nahal are joining the specialist factual team, reporting to team head John Hay.

Michelle Chappell, currently commissioning editor of factual, news and current affairs at Channel 5, is joining the documentaries commissioning team, reporting to docs head Nick Mirsky.

Chappell was responsible for more than 1,000 hours of programming a year at C5, commissioning for 19.00 and 22.00 and greenlighting such shows as My Violent Child and Killers Behind Bars.

She joined Channel 5 from BBC London factual, where she launched The One Show and National Treasures Live. She also had a stint as deputy editor on This Morning.

Lawrie has worked on formats including The Apprentice, Hunted and Nick & Margaret: The Town That Never Retired. He recently executive produced Channel 4 adventure survival series The Island.

Nahal has been deputy editor of Channel 4 News since 2012 and prior to that was deputy editor of BBC2’s Newsnight.

Channel 4’s overall factual operation is overseen by Ralph Lee, deputy chief creative officer and head of factual.