Fifth Season, the production and sales outfit formerly known as Endeavor Content, has named Ben Irving to the newly created position of Creative Director, UK Television. Irving, currently Acting Director of Drama at the BBC, will shift over to Fifth Season in November.
Fifth Season, hot off the success of its Emmy-winning Apple TV+ series Severance, is moving to build up its British and international development and production team. In his new role, Irving will lead UK production and development at Fifth Season working across the group’s existing Brit-based projects as well as developing new collaborations with UK talent.
“As we continue our plans to expand the studio across the globe, Ben is the key ingredient we were looking for,” said Joe Hipps, EVP, TV Production and Development at Fifth Season. “His prolific experience, strategic sensibilities, long-standing creative relationships and exceptional taste for great programs will be instrumental as our presence grows in the UK.”
As Endeavor, Fifth Season has produced such series as Scenes From A Marriage for HBO, Tokyo Vice for HBO Max, Wolf Like Me for Peacock, and McCartney 3, 2, 1 for Hulu and handled international sales on such hit UK series as Killing Eve, The Night Manager and Normal People. The group’s film slate has included Maggie Gyllenhaal’s multi-Oscar nominee The Lost Daughter, Michael Bay’s Ambulance, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Just Mercy, and Cooper Raiff’s Cha Cha Real Smooth, which Apple TV+ picked up out of Sundance.
“I’m hugely excited to join the next phase of the studio’s evolution,” said Irving. “The company has always had a strong international focus, and together we will build on their many successes to further ramp up the studio’s TV productions, continuing to support and empower the best creators and producers in the UK, and beyond, to tell stories that will resonate with global audiences.”
At the BBC, Irving’s executive producer credits include His Dark Materials, Gentleman Jack, Doctor Who, and the forthcoming final series of Happy Valley. Previously, Irving was VP, Development and Production at David Heyman’s production company Heyday Films, where he worked on such features as Paddington and Paddington 2, Gravity, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.