Pulse taps BBC’s Aston for unscripted

Vice Media-owned UK prodco Pulse Films has given a former BBC Entertainment exec a newly created role overseeing its unscripted output.

Ceri Aston

Ceri Aston becomes head of non-scripted programming and will executive produce the studio’s slate alongside Emma Cooper, the former Channel 4 staffer who was named MD of Pulse’s unscripted division last summer.

Aston is a former executive producer of the BBC’s version of Dragons’ Den and more recently was part of the BBC Entertainment North team working on shows including Junior Paramedics for BBC3.

Cooper said Aston’s “skills and experience in ensuring delivery excellence will be huge asset to our division.”

Aston added: “It’s been a huge privilege to work on Dragons’ Den and with the talented Entertainment North team at BBC Studios. But the opportunity to help build on Pulse Films’ unique brand of television proved irresistible.”

Pulse’s commissions include a forthcoming 10-episode series charting the history of rock and roll for Sky, while its past credits range from Black is the New Black for BBC2 to Hunting the Nazi Gold Train for BBC3.

Vice took a majority stake in UK- and US-based Pulse last year, as both companies looked to increase their scripted output across film and TV.