ITV appoints William Van Rest Controller of ITV Play

ITV has announced the appointment of William van Rest as Controller of ITV Play, the home of ITV’s ‘participation TV’ programming.
Van Rest will assume full responsibility for Play’s financial performance, creative programming and operational delivery.
Launching later this year, ITV Play programming will be shown across ITV’s family of channels, following successful trials of Fremantle’s Quizmania, currently airing on ITV1 overnight and Optimistic’s Play Sudoku on ITV2.
Van Rest joins ITV from Optimistic Entertainment where he created and launched the original participation TV channel in the UK, QuizNation, in 2003. As Channel Head and then Director of Networks & Studio217, van Rest was responsible for all day to day aspects of the channel and production business. He is currently Director of Strategic and Corporate Development.
ITV has also promoted Interactive Producer Tanya Carus to the position of Commissioning Editor for ITV Play. Tanya has been with ITV since 2001 and has extensive experience of viewer participation on multiple platforms.
William van Rest said: “I’m delighted to be joining ITV at this exciting time. The Play brand will be a gold standard for quality, entertaining and original interactive programming and I look forward to building on the success ITV is already enjoying in this area.”
Jane Marshall, Commercial Development Director of ITV Consumer, said: “It’s great news that we have recruited someone of William’s calibre to this important role. He brings a fantastic track record and experience in participation TV and is ideally placed to help ITV revenues in this growing genre. He will be working closely with Tanya in her new role to bring high quality interactive programming under the Play brand across ITV’s family of channels, on mobile and online.”
(GB)