Diverse Shake Up Factual Division, Signing Crick And Roberts

In the first of what is tipped to be a series of strategic autumn moves, Diverse, part of Zodiak Television, has snapped up outgoing TLC Director of Development Ed Crick and Channel 4 Current Affairs Editor Mark Roberts.
Crick, who last month left his role as the European based commissioner for US network TLC, will join the London, Bristol and U.S. based indie as VP of Production and Development, reporting to Creative Director Roy Ackerman and Managing Director Paul Sowerbutts on U.S. issues. Crick will expand Diverse formats, features and factual business in the UK and US and he will serve as an EP across all Factual genres.
At TLC Crick was a key part of the channel team which delivered an unprecedented 18 months of ratings growth, commissioning a broad range of shows including "NY Bling", "Diana Last Days of a Princess", "The Con Game" and "Paycheck Showdown". Previously, Crick worked at the BBC and across the independent sector where he launched shows like "Find a Family", "Change the Day you Die" and "Bank of Mum and Dad".
Roberts will join as Executive Producer, Factual and will exec produce programmes, as well as driving the development of documentaries, current affairs and specialist factual.
Roberts originated and developed a number of high profile projects asseries producer at the BBC - including the 'Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon', 'The Experiment' and 'The Plot Against Harold Wilson'.
At C4 he was responsible for major films including award winning 'China's Stolen Children', 'Undercover Prisoner', docudramas 'Why We Went to War' and 'The Family Who Vanished', and popular documentaries including 'Queen Camilla' and "Packaging is Rubbish".
Roy Ackerman, Diverse' Creative Director, said: "Diverse is known for delivering quality factual content all the way from award-winning feature docs and blue chip documentaries to popular formats. This is the next step in building a bigger team, enabling Diverse to expand our range, while maintaining the quality.
"Mark is a brilliant exec and someone who will help us build our reputation for high end documentaries, factual series and formatted factual content.
"Ed really gets modern programming - ideas that hit the sweet-spot of being popular and purposeful at the time. I am looking forward to him growing our US business and working with both myself and Matt Paice in building our factual entertainment slate".
Crick said: "Diverse is an established quality outfit, with an outstanding track record for top of the range programme delivery - it's the perfect home for my creative ambitions".
Roberts said: "I am delighted to be helping shape Diverse - a great company with a commitment to high quality programming across a genuinely diverse range. It's a great opportunity at a time of real creative opportunity."
(SP)