Crackit brings in Cooke

UK factual indie Crackit Productions has appointed popular factual specialist Helen Cooke as its head of non-scripted.

Helen Cooke

Cooke, who will join the company in January, will report to its creative director, Elaine Hackett, and build on developing original format content, both in the UK and internationally.

Cooke previously spent two years at Studio Ramsay as head of popular factual, where she executive produced Channel 4’s Born Famous, which she also created.

The exec also co-created Channel 4’s Fantastical Factory of Curious Craft and was instrumental in the development of Gordon, Gino & Fred’s Road Trip, The Savoy, and Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted for Nat Geo, which she co-exec produced.

Prior to that, Cooke was features commissioning executive at Channel 4, where she was responsible for ordering shows including Rescue Dog to Superdog and Peter Cook & Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches.

Cooke has also worked as a series producer on programmes such as The X Factor, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners and Come Dine with Me, and as entertainment commissioning editor for UKTV.