Kelly Webb-Lamb, U.K. broadcaster Channel 4’s deputy director of programs and head of popular factual, will leave the channel later this year.
Webb-Lamb joined in 2016 and worked closely with Channel 4 director of programs Ian Katz in realizing the channel’s creative strategy. She oversaw the popular factual commissioning departments responsible for over 1,000 hours of programming every year — from the launch, and continued success, of “The Great British Bake Off,” “Gogglebox,” “Hunted” and several other creative successes including “The Circle,” which will return soon for a third season. Webb-Lamb was also instrumental in the channel’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She leaves the broadcaster in good heath, with record growth in young viewing and All 4 streaming during 2020. The main channel ended the year with linear share up 3%, share among 16-34s up 8% and All 4 viewing up 31%. Webb-Lamb exits at a time when the channel is looking to the future and shifting focus towards a digital offering.
The executive is also a diversity champion, spearheading the channel’s response to the global Black Lives Matter movement with the “The Black Takeover project” — an intervention to drive sustainable change, and she will continue to oversee the project, which will launch a number of new shows across the genres, and showcase a roster of new and established Black talent on and off-screen. She will remain in her position full time until the summer, and then on a part-time basis into the fall to ensure delivery of these key projects.
Prior to Channel 4, Webb-Lamb was managing director at Shine TV, where she was responsible for BAFTA and RTS award winner “The Island with Bear Grylls” and “Hunted” for Channel 4, as well as hits for other channels including BBC One’s “All Change at Longleat,” “Britain’s Best Bakery,” “The Undriveables” and “Help! I’m Having Triplets” for ITV.
Earlier, she served as series editor of “The Apprentice.”
“Channel 4 is a very special place; quite possibly the most special place in the industry,” Webb-Lamb said. “There’s nowhere I’ve worked where your staff-pass says freedom, creativity and risk quite as loudly. It is therefore very hard to leave. But after five years and a whole load of change, the channel is now in a really strong place creatively, and I am super proud of what we’ve achieved. So it’s a good time for me to take the leap and say goodbye — new adventures are beckoning.”
“Kelly has played a huge part in shaping Channel 4 over the last five years and been a wise, generous and creatively inspiring partner for the last three,” said Katz. “She is one of the most formidable people I’ve ever worked with, as mischievous as she is ferociously clever and passionate about what Channel 4 can and should be.”
