5 is preparing for a changing of the guard in drama, with commissioning editor Paul Testar set to succeed head of scripted Sebastian Cardwell.
The pair have worked together over the past four and half years, with Testar playing a key role in state-of-the-nation drama strand Play for Today and factual drama Power: the Downfall of Huw Edwards.
They have also commissioned for Paramount+ including upcoming titles Treasure Island and The Day.
Cardwell is exiting the broadcaster after 16 years and has spearheaded its drama resurgence over the past nine years, upping the genre’s hours ten-fold and scoring hits such as All Creatures Great and Small [main picture], The Teacher, Cold Call and The Hardacres.
5 is now looking to hire Testar’s successor as scripted commissioning editor.
The broadcaster’s chief content officer Ben Frow credited Cardwell with helping people from low-income backgrounds enter the scripted production sector and for lobbying to lower the threshold for high-end TV tax credits.
Frow described Testar as “one of the smartest creative minds out there”.
