Talpa taps C4 editor for UK

Netherlands-based production outfit Talpa has appointed a Channel 4 (C4) commissioning editor to oversee its development in the UK.

Madeleine Knight

Madeleine Knight becomes director of development and formats at Talpa UK and will work with parent ITV Studios execs to oversee existing and new show ideas developed by Talpa.

Knight has been behind shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Fifteen To One, Time Crashers and the forthcoming Wedding Town at C4.

Maarten Meijs, MD at Talpa Global, said the appointment was part of the company’s goal to create “global impact” with its content. “The expansion of our format portfolio in the UK is a crucial part of our strategy, and to be able to reach that goal we’ll work together with the fantastic network of companies within ITV Studios.”

Knight said: “Talpa has an unprecedented global track record and I look forward to working with them to find the next generation of entertainment, factual entertainment and factual formats, with the collaboration of brilliant creatives in the ITV group of companies.”

It’s been a busy year for Talpa, which revealed a US$110m deal to develop shows with Chinese media group Zheijan Tangde in January and has received investment from Netherlands-based Telegraaf Media Group.

Talpa last year sold its production arm Talpa Media to UK broadcaster ITV for US$531.7m, a fee that could rise depending on whether the producer of The Voice reaches profit-growth targets.