ITV Studios hires former C5 and Xbox exec as drama buyer

Kate Barnes

ITV Studios has recruited Kate Barnes as its head of coproduction and drama acquisition.

Barnes is the former Channel 5 digital channels boss who left the free-to-air broadcaster to oversee the original content efforts at the content division of Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which has now been wound down.

At ITV she will take the newly-created role of head of drama acquisitions and coproduction. She starts in the position next week and will report to Ruth Clarke, executive VP and director of global content.

Prior to running the 5* and 5USA channels for Channel 5, Barnes was an acquisitions executive at UK pay TV platform BSkyB, buying across genres for Sky One, Two and Three.

Ruth Clarke said: “Kate’s extensive experience from channel acquisitions, Channel 5 and Xbox, where she has been working closely with the US market, will be instrumental as we continue to expand our portfolio of world-class drama by partnering with producers and creatives around the world.”