STV Productions produces programmes for a variety of networks including Catchphrase (ITV), Antiques Road Trip (BBC1), Safe word (ITV2 and MTV USA), And They’re Off (BBC1), Ross Kemp Inside Barlinie (ITV) and up and coming drama The Victim (BBC).

Alan is a former creative director at IWC Media, founder and MD of Wark Clements Productions and freelance journalist and political researcher at BBC Scotland. He is an honorary Professor of Politics and Media at the University of Glasgow, sits on the Board of the Edinburgh TV Festival and is the author of two books including the novel Rogue Nation, published in 2008. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University in 2014 for services to journalism and television.

Alex Mahon is the Chief Executive of Channel 4, a publicly owned and commercially funded public service media organisation that creates change through entertainment. Under Alex's leadership, Channel 4 has transformed into a digital-first public media company with the UK's biggest free streaming service and one of the largest social media brands for young people in the UK. During this period, Channel 4's public ownership has been secured, its impact across the nations and regions has grown, and its investment in skills has opened up the sector to those aspiring to a career in television and film.

Alex is a passionate supporter of equitable representation and is committed to championing women's health at work. Prior to Channel 4, she was CEO of Foundry and before that of Shine Group. She has also worked at Talkback Thames, Fremantle Media Group and RTL Group. Alex started her career as a PhD Physicist with a stint at CERN before moving into launching internet businesses. Alex is currently a member of the UK Creative Industries Council and an ambassador for London Tech Week. She is a Non-Executive Board Member of Chanel Inc and has been on the Advisory Board of Salesforce.

Amar Latif is a blind traveller, entrepreneur and TV personality with a remarkable track record of facing up to major challenges. Due to an incurable eye condition, Amar lost 95% of his sight by the age of 18. Through sheer determination he has managed to turn an unpromising tale of loss into one of inspirational achievement.

Amar became known to millions through the ground-breaking BBC Two reality series Beyond Boundaries, a jungle endurance expedition across Central America. It involved a gruelling 220-mile trek on foot across the rugged interior of Nicaragua, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast, and Amar was pushed to the limit as the perilous journey progressed.

Since then, he has appeared in Channel 4’s How to Get Fit Fast (co-presented with Anna Richardson), a show that aims to bust exercise myths, uncover workout secrets and explore why different exercises are suited to different people. In his most recent Channel 4 show Thrifty Ways to… Summer Holiday, he teamed up with Katie Piper to share money-saving tips and and show how to access the best deals before your suitcase is even packed.

Amy is a regular face on TV screens across Yorkshire sharing the famous BBC Look North Sofa with legend presenter Harry Gration. Over the last 5 years she’s covered two General Elections and some of the biggest stories to affect the Region including Rotherham grooming, end of deep coal mining, the murder of teacher Ann Maguire and the Manchester Arena terror attack.

The TV duo has become known for their gruelling charity challenges. In 2015 they cycled the 250 mile Tour de France route across Yorkshire on a tandem for Sport relief. This year saw them dragging the Look North sofa 100 miles through snow storms and torrential rain to mark 50 years of regional news. They’ve also been strapped to an aeroplane, abseiled down a 120 feet building in South Yorkshire and plunged into caves beneath the Yorkshire Dales for Children in Need.

Prior to her life on the Look North sofa, Amy spend some time as a Senior Broadcast Journalist at BBC South Today, self-producing and presenting Breakfast and Late News bulletins and reporting out on the road. She was also a regular face on BBC3’s 60 second news.

Anita Rani is an RTS Award winning broadcaster with a career spanning nearly 20 years. She is currently one of the lead presenters of BBC One’s Countryfile and she also presents Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4. She recently led the second series of Aldi’s Next Big Thing for Channel 4 and is a regular appearance on shows such as Pointless, The Wheel and The One Show. Adding bestselling author to her list of achievements, she published her memoir The Right Sort of Girl in 2015, following by debut novel Baby Does a Runner in 2023.

Anita was made a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador in 2021 and recently became Chancellor of the University of Bradford – her hometown. She has since implemented the Rani Scholarship helping those from underrepresented backgrounds into higher education.

Ben is Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS), with oversight of Channel 5 and its digital brands, the wider Paramount channel portfolio, and the global streaming service Paramount+ UK which launched in June 2022.

Under Ben's leadership, Channel 5 has undergone a creative transformation through continued investment in high quality originations across all genres, and a focus on increasing original commissions for peak time. Channel 5 has broadened the scope of its programming, commissioning drama, history and more, to build on its roots in factual programming and attract talent including Michael Palin, Susan Calman, Jay Blades and Jeremy Vine. This fundmental shift in the channel's perception - and wider audience appeal - has been recognised with a raft of industry awards, including Channel 5's first ever BAFTA for Cruising with Jane McDonald, Channel of the Year awards from Edinburgh and the RTS, and accolades for programmes across a range of genres.

Callum grew up on the Knoll Estate on the outskirts of Brighton and Hove. A career in journalism had never occurred to him – his goal was to train as a PE teacher and become a professional football referee. But the cost of tuition fees put paid to that and at just 18 Callum started work at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre. He found it awash with abuse, self-harm and violence. Tempted to resign, he decided instead to write to Panorama and the rest, as they say, is history.

Callum became a whistle-blower and undercover reporter for the BBC and his footage was the centerpiece of the 2018 RTS award-winning Panorama ‘Undercover: Britain’s Immigration Secrets’. As we go to press the programme has also been nominated for a BAFTA. In 2017 Callum received a Liberty Human Rights Award in recognition of his work.

In September 2020, Charlotte Moore was appointed Chief Content Officer and joined the BBC Board. She is the senior leader for BBC content and audiences across all genres and platforms, with the exception of News and Nations and Regions.

In July 2016, Charlotte Moore became Director, BBC Content and Controller of BBC One. She was responsible for the creative vision across the portfolio of channels, BBC iPlayer and genres and took on oversight of BBC Sport.

In January 2016, Charlotte Moore was appointed Controller of TV Channels and iPlayer.

Charlotte was appointed Controller of BBC One in June 2013. Under her leadership, BBC One enhanced its position as the nation's most popular TV channel.

Charlotte was the BBC Commissioning Editor of Documentaries from 2009. Prior to joining the BBC in 2006, Charlotte was Director of Contemporary Factual at IWC Media.

John is the Chief Executive of Pact the UK's leading Trade Association for Film, TV, Animation, Children's and Digital production companies. John contributes to many UK government and international policy fora on the creative industries, broadcasting, trade and investment. He has extensive experience of policy development across all aspects of broadcasting and television production and leads on all Pact policy development in the UK and Europe. He also maintains excellent relationships with all of the UK's major political parties and the devolved assemblies and parliaments.

John is currently; a Board member of the Creative Diversity Network, a member of the Creative Industries Council (CIC), an industry advisor to the AHRC Creative Industries programme, Industry board member of the British Film Commission, a board member of the Creative Cities Convention and is industry lead on the UK Government backed £500m Production Restart scheme.

Kamal joined the BBC as economics editor in March 2016. He was previously executive business editor for the Telegraph Media Group and before that group director of communications at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the regulator charged with upholding and enforcing equality and human rights legislation in Britain.

Other posts include executive editor of news at The Observer newspaper and royal correspondent, media correspondent and then media editor for The Guardian. Kamal started his career in Scotland where he worked for Scotland on Sunday, rising to deputy news editor. He studied politics at Leeds University.

Between 2000 and 2004 Kamal was Political Editor of The Observer. Between 1996 and 2000, Kamal worked for The Guardian, starting on the paper as Royal Correspondent, later becoming Media Correspondent and then Media Editor.

Kamal started his career in Scotland where he worked for Scotland on Sunday, The Scotsman’s sister title where he rose to become chief reporter and deputy news editor.

Kay Mellor OBE is a Leeds born and bred writer, director and actress best known for her work on several successful and ground-breaking drama series, including Fat Friends, Band of Gold, The Syndicate and most recently Girlfriends.

Most recently, Kay has written and exec produced Love, Lies & Records for BBC1 (November 2017), written and directed Girlfriends for ITV (January 2018); and exec produced Overshadowed for BBC3 (2017), championing new young writers Eva O’Conner and Hildegard Ryan.

Her stage version of A Passionate Woman played in the West End and is still touring both nationally and internationally. Kay’s brand new stage show Fat Friends The Musical is touring UK theatres until June 2018.

Kay is an Ambassador for Maggie’s Yorkshire, and Patron for SLP College. Her chosen charities for 2018 are Breast Cancer Haven, NSPCC and Shelter.

Kersten is Chief Executive of Bradford Council with responsibility for over 17,000 staff and a multi-million pound budget across one of the largest local authorities in the country. Her main challenge is to deliver sustainable and inclusive growth and in particular to strengthen the skills base of the District.

Kersten is the lead Chief Executive for innovation and growth in the Leeds City Region. In addition she is a member of a number of boards in and beyond the city including Nesta, Bradford Economic Partnership, University of Bradford Council, Science Media Museum, Bradford Literature Festival and the Digital Health Enterprise Zone. She is a lay Canon of Bradford Cathedral.

Kersten’s career has included work in the voluntary sector, higher education, central government as well as 26 years in local government. She is passionate about building resilient and confident communities, supporting local democracy and sustainable urban growth.

Despite the Edinburgh accent she regards herself as a bona fide Bradfordian, having lived and worked here for most of her adult life as well as bringing up her children in the city.

Our host Kirsty Wark has built up a reputation as one of the UK's most formidable and versatile television journalists. She is best known as an anchor on the BBC's flagship news and current affairs show Newsnight.

Born in Dumfries and now based in Glasgow, Kirsty's broadcasting career began with a wide range of radio programmes in Scotland and London before she moved to television and became Reporting Scotland's first female editor.

As well as Newsnight Kirsty hosts The Reunion on Radio 4 and conducts big cultural interviews with a wide range of high-profile figures. She has fronted numerous documentaries for BBC Television including the critically acclaimed Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes and more recently The Insider's Guide To The Menopause, which was nominated for a BAFTA.

Away from the studio lights, food is her passion. She reached the final of Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 and was crowned top celebrity baker on The Great British Bake Off for Comic Relief.

Kirsty has several major accolades to her name including BAFTA Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting, Journalist of the Year and Best Television Presenter.

Lisa began her career in journalism at Time Out Amsterdam, going on to work in reporting and editing roles on a range of specialist media titles spanning PR, music, marketing and advertising. After working as a freelance writer for national newspapers and magazines, Lisa joined TV industry bible Broadcast magazine where she enjoyed a ten year career in a variety of roles, including editor, a post she held for 7 years. Lisa was then appointed as Festival Director for the Edinburgh International Television Festival, boosting the Festival’s global profile, attendees and reputation as the biggest and most prestigious media event in the UK. She joined ITN in January 2020 and is director of communications, responsible for managing internal and external branding and messaging, alongside strategy, policy and public affairs.

Lisa is a Yorkshire-based screen writer. She won her first commission in 2001 on Fat Friends, working with Kay Mellor. She then joined the Emmerdale writing team for three years before heading off to write for New Tricks, winning the RTS Yorkshire Best Writer Award for one of her episodes.

Since then she has written for Waterloo Road, Robin Hood, Midsomer Murders and Ackley Bridge – with a second series currently in production. She also writes for theatre and produces a showcase of new short theatre pieces in Leeds every summer.