Love Island’s Lifted elevates Richard Cowles to CEO, hires from BBC in leadership rejig

L-R: Richard Cowles, Chantal Boyle and Ros Coward

ITV Studios-backed UK prodco Lifted Entertainment has restructured its senior team, with MD Richard Cowles elevated to the new role of CEO and the appointment of former BBC exec Chantal Boyle.

Boyle has been brought in as creative director after leaving her role as commissioning editor for entertainment at the BBC, while Ros Coward joins as creative director, having already worked with the company on several key titles.

Elsewhere, Tom Gould, director of entertainment and formats, has been named chief content officer and head of production Jeanette Moffat has been upped to director of production.

Mike Spencer-Hayter and Diego Rincón, the company’s previous creative directors, are being moved to directors of unscripted, while Kat Hebden takes on the role of director of development and new business, having previously been head of development, and Micky Van Praagh becomes director of on-screen talent.

Cowles, who had been MD since 2022, said: “Lifted has grown significantly in recent years in the scale of our slate, the ambition of our ideas and the complexity of what we deliver. This evolution in our structure is about making sure we are set up sustainably for the long term, with the right clarity, leadership and collaboration across the entire business. It strengthens the way our teams work together, protects the shows we make, and gives us the capacity to keep creating bold, original formats for a wide and growing range of partners.”

Lifted’s current programming includes Love Island and Love Island All Stars, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, I’m a Celebrity South Africa, The Voice, University Challenge and Countdown.