Channel 4 appoints Sarah Dillistone to lead in-house production

As part of its previously announced Intellectual Property strategy, Channel 4 today announces the appointment of Sarah Dillistone to lead its in-house production business in a newly created position.  Sarah will start to develop in-house production capabilities as part of Channel 4’s Fast Forward strategy to diversify and grow revenues to remain a strong and successful business and reinvest back into the creative economy.

This step will support Channel 4’s role as a sustainable champion for independent production and strengthen content investment over the longer-term with indies across the UK.  There is clear operational separation, with reporting lines and management distinct from Channel 4 commissioning for robust and fair access to Channel 4 commissions for independent producers.  Channel 4 has also committed to an increased indie quota from 25% to 35% from 2026. 

Sarah is a BAFTA-winning showrunner and television executive with extensive experience across networks and streamers including Fox, Hulu and Netflix with a strong track record of delivering ambitious and critically acclaimed, returnable hit series and formats that cut through internationally including Perfect Match, The Ultimatum and Made In Chelsea. She will lead the development of Channel 4’s IP strategy and execution from February 2026.

Sarah will be responsible for setting up a development team and establishing key business functions and capabilities that will be focused on creative success to drive commercial growth, developing and nurturing new formats across the UK that travel globally, building a successful catalogue of IP. The initial focus will be on content within the factual entertainment, reality and entertainment genres, areas she has deep experience in.

Based in Los Angeles for the past six years, Sarah established herself as a trusted executive development producer and showrunner, forging senior relationships across the US market.  She executive produced for Fox, Hulu, Peacock and Netflix, overseeing hit series including Perfect Match, The Ultimatum, The Ultimatum: Queer Love and the Paris & Nicole reunion show, alongside multiple development projects that went on to receive green lights.

Earlier in her career, Sarah emerged as a defining creative force in British structured reality, shaping and executive producing era-making series including The Only Way Is Essex, Made in Chelsea and The Real Housewives of Cheshire – titles that reset the genre and went on to receive major industry recognition.  She spent many years building Lime Pictures’ unscripted business before moving to Monkey Kingdom (NBCUniversal), where she showran flagship series.  Sarah also brings commissioning-side experience, having previously been a buyer at Channel 4. 

Sarah Dillistone comments: “I’m incredibly excited to be stepping into this role at such a pivotal moment for Channel 4. The channel has been a defining part of my career, so it feels especially meaningful to return and help shape what comes next, while continuing the relationships I’ve built across the US and international markets. I’m keen to work closely with an ambitious team to develop bold, distinctive programming that resonates in the UK and beyond.”

Jonathan Allan, Interim CEO of Channel 4, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Sarah Dillistone back to the UK and to Channel 4 as our leader of in-house production. Sarah has an amazing track record of transforming unscripted businesses and creating some of the most iconic formats of a generation, so I could not think of a better person to build our creative production capabilities and diversify our revenues.”

In May 2025, Channel 4 set out a twin-track approach to invest in IP ownership, incorporating a phased move into in-house production and the launch of a new Creative Investment Fund.  This followed in September 2025 with Channel 4’s first acquisition, via the Creative Investment Fund, of a majority share of Firecrest Films.

About Channel 4’s in-house production

Channel 4’s move to IP ownership follows the government’s removal of the publisher broadcaster restriction and the creation of a new sustainability duty via the Media Act 2024.  These capabilities aim to create returnable, scalable formats focused on factual entertainment, reality and entertainment genres with international potential. This will allow Channel 4 to benefit from global income streams and further drive its investment into UK production. The in-house production business will be able to pitch to Channel 4 and other media platforms, with production anticipated to start by early 2027.

Channel 4’s generation of IP will be key to delivering the business’s Fast Forward strategy and diversifying its revenues.  This step will support Channel 4’s role as a sustainable champion for independent production and strengthen content investment over the longer-term with indies across the UK.  There is clear operational separation, with reporting lines and management distinct from Channel 4 commissioning for robust and fair access to Channel 4 commissions for independent producers.  Channel 4 has also committed to an increased indie quota from 25% to 35% from 2026. 

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Notes to Editors 

Channel 4 Commissioning Guidelines 2025 can be found here 

About the Creative Investment Fund

Following the government’s removal of the publisher broadcaster restriction and the creation of a new sustainability duty via the Media Act 2024, Channel 4’s new IP investment fund - ‘Creative Investment Fund’ (CIF) - is focused on building majority stakes in Indies and content producers with strong commercial potential.  Investment is made with an option to take majority equity stakes in scalable companies, with a clear path to 100% ownership.  The fund is flexible in its deal structures, reflecting the varying life stages and needs of its creative partners, whilst seeking to build a portfolio of market leading global IP creators with ambition for growth, generating diverse income streams for Channel 4 though creative and commercial success. 

The CIF will report to Channel 4’s Chief Operating Officer, but given Jonathan Allan’s responsibilities as Interim CEO, the fund temporarily reports to Martin Baker, Chief Commercial Affairs Officer & MD Paralympics, and is run by Hugo Heppell as Interim Head of Creative Investment Fund.  The existing 15 Indie Growth Fund production companies will become an integral part of the CIF and will continue to be supported alongside new investments.  The CIF’s advisory board will operate with the involvement and support of its current external creative mentors.