STV brings in ex-ITV, BBC drama exec

Scotland-based indie STV Productions has signed an exclusive deal with a former ITV Studios and BBC drama producer to boost its scripted slate.

Elaine Collins

Elaine Collins will develop and coproduce TV dramas with  STV, working with its head of drama Sarah Brown.

The appointment comes as STV starts production on The Victim, a returnable four-part drama commissioned recently by BBC1.

Collins, who has her own company, Tod Productions, was previously producer and executive producer at ITV Studios.

While there she optioned Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope novels which she then developed and produced as Vera, which is currently in its eighth season on ITV1. Most recently she was creative director at BBC Drama.

Collins said: “I’m very much looking forward to teaming up with Sarah and STV Productions. Our shared ambition to work with the very best screenwriting talent, provide a home for the most original novels, both historical and contemporary, and our passionate commitment to producing top-quality work from Scotland and beyond, makes it feel like the perfect home for me.”