C4 hires Mirsky, Prestwood to expand factual team

February 16, 2012 by Adam Benzine

Nick Mirsky (left) and Lina Prestwood

UK net Channel 4 has expanded its factual commissioning team, with BBC programmer and producer Nick Mirsky (pictured, left) joining as deputy head of factual, and former Current TV exec Lina Prestwood (right) joining as commissioning editor.

Both report to head of factual Ralph Lee. Mirsky joins from the BBC, where he has been serving as series editor of BBC2 strand ‘Wonderland’ since 2006. In that time, he has overseen the commissioning of five seasons of programming, including docs such as The Man Who Eats Badgers and My Child the Rioter.

He has also helmed 20 high-profile films fronted by Louis Theroux, including The Most Hated Family in America and A Place for Paedophiles, and served as exec producer of docs and series including When Michael Portillo Became a Single Mum; the Emmy award-winning Maxwell; BBC3 format The Week the Women Went and the BAFTA-winning series Blood on the Carpet.

Prestwood, meanwhile, joins from the UK’s Current TV – which is in the process of shutting down – where she has been serving as director of content. In the role, she managed both the in-house creation team and worked with more than 100 external indie producers.

In addition to commissioning, she helped to generate, develop, exec and series produce much of the network’s output including What Did I Do Last Night?, Male Hookers Uncovered and Babytrapped.

In a statement, Lee said: “Nick is a gifted and vastly experienced executive producer who has a knack for getting to the heart of stories and is renowned throughout the industry. He is not afraid to take risks with formats or talent and is the creative powerhouse behind some of the most exciting documentaries on the BBC.

“Lina has a natural eye for emerging issues and stories and has already demonstrated a willingness to be experimental, creative and risk-taking in her commissions for Current TV. I’ve also been struck by her innovations in cross-platform ideas and the pitching process. Together, these appointments will complement the strengths of our existing team to create further fresh and impactful content.”

The appointments come after Lee was named head of factual in November, succeeding head of documentaries Hamish Mykura, who left the broadcaster after 10 years and has since joined National Geographic.

Tags: Channel 4, Current TV, Lina Prestwood, Nick Mirsky, Ralph Lee