Ricochet signs creative director

Ricochet has named its new creative director, more than a year and a half since previous incumbent Katy Thorogood left to join True North.

The Repair Shop indie has hired Damon Pattinson, who previously held the same role at Beyond Productions UK, having set up the offshoot of the Australian company, until owner Banijay closed the UK business last year.

Pattinson, formerly a creative director for both Keo Films and BBC Studios, previously set up and ran the indie Lucky Day Productions, which he sold to Zodiak Media Group in 2011.

Working across Ricochet’s Brighton, London and Glasgow offices, Pattinson will oversee the company’s output across factual entertainment, specialist factual, features, returning series and formatted documentaries.

He reports to managing director Joanna Ball, who hailed his “experience, energy and creativity”.

As well as The Repair Shop, Ricochet’s current slate includes returners such as Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild and Our Yorkshire Farm, both for Channel 5, Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped and Sun, Sea and Selling Houses and BBC1’s The Bidding Room.

Thorogood left Ricochet in May 2022 after nine years as creative director to become chief creative officer at True North, after that indie's co-founders Andrew Sheldon and Jess Fowle stepped down after 20 years.