ITV’s Director of Reality and Acquisitions, Paul Mortimer, has decided to step down from his role at the end of the year, after 13 years with the broadcaster.Mortimer joined ITV as the Controller of Digital Channels in 2012. Under Paul’s leadership, ITV2 has become the market leader for young adults, with many of the commissions under his tenure still strong drivers of younger, streaming viewing, including Love Island and The Real Housewives of Cheshire. Mortimer was promoted to Head of Digital Channels and Acquisitions in 2016, and became ITV’s Director of Reality and Acquisitions in 2022, bringing Love Island: All Stars, Big Brother, The Fortune Hotel, My Mum, Your Dad and The Summit onto ITV’s commissioning slate.Before joining ITV, Mortimer spent five years at Channel 4, becoming the Head of E4. He has also worked for the Discovery Channel as well as Channel 5 but began his career at the ITV Network Centre in 1994.Mortimer said: “It’s been such a great pleasure to have spent so long at ITV, working with some great people and having been given so many opportunities, both creatively and otherwise. I arrived with a mission to improve ratings amongst younger audiences and Love Island was a huge part of that. I’m therefore very pleased to see it still going strong- with the latest series growing its audience year on year. More recently, with a talented team of Reality Commissioners, we’ve landed some big hits on ITV1, ITV2 and ITVX with more coming down the line. Overseeing Content Acquisitions, I’ve worked with all the big US Studios and Distributors and been lucky enough to travel with some wonderful colleagues to markets and events around the world.”“Arriving at ITV, for my first stint, over 30 years ago, I could never have imagined where my career would take me, the people I’d meet, or the fun I would have over the next three decades. I’d especially like to thank the inimitable Kevin Lygo for all of his support which spans twenty years and includes my working for him at Channel 5, Channel 4 and most recently at ITV. I’d also like to wish all my friends across ITV plc the best of luck for the future,” he added.Mortimer will depart at the end of the year, after overseeing this autumn’s series of Big Brother. The Reality slate and future reality commissions will move across to Katie Rawcliffe, who becomes Director of Entertainment, Reality and Daytime from September. Commissioning Editor, Amanda Stavri, who oversees Reality hits such as Love Island and TOWIE, will move into Rawcliffe’s team. The Content Acquisitions team will report into Craig Morris, expanding his current responsibilities. Morris becomes Director of Channels, ITVX and Acquisitions. ITV is recruiting for a Head of Acquisitions, to replace Sasha Breslau, who will report to Morris.
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