Kim Shillinglaw

Kim Danila Shillinglaw[1] (born 1969) is a British media executive. She is the director of factual programming at Endemol Shine UK.[2] Formerly she was controller of BBC Two and BBC Four; however, following the merger of the BBC's channel controller posts in January 2016, she left.[3]

Born in London, Shillinglaw spent her early years in Cameroon and Spain, countries in which her parents worked during the 1970s.[4]

After her family's return to Britain, she attended Holland Park Comprehensive and then read history at Wadham College, Oxford.[5] After her graduation, she joined Observer Films in 1990 (for a time part of the Guardian Media Group) as a researcher, eventually becoming a series producer.[6] Following this, she worked for ITV and Channel 4.

Starting in 2006, Shillinglaw worked as an executive producer for BBC London Factual and the commissioner of independent productions for CBBC.[6] Working under Karen O'Connor from late 2007, she then became one of ten "creative leads" in London Factual.[7]

From May 2009, she was the BBC's commissioning editor for science and natural history[8] responsible around 2012 for 200 hours of programming per year.[9] The proportion of science-themed broadcasting on BBC One is reported to have risen during Shillinglaw's period in charge of the department.[10] During 2012 and 2013, she was executive producer of Bang Goes the Theory.[11]

She assumed her posts as controller of both BBC Two and BBC Four in April 2014, in succession to Janice Hadlow.[12] During her period as the 13th (and final) controller of BBC Two,[13] Shillinglaw is reported to have increased the hours of science on the channel as well as increasing female representation and experts on screen.[14] She was reportedly less keen to commission programmes on environmental issues.[15]

The posts of BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four controllers were abolished by the BBC's director general Tony Hall in January 2016, with the then BBC One controller Charlotte Moore being appointed to the overall post. It was announced that Shillinglaw was leaving the BBC; however, according to The Guardian it was intended that she would work through her six-month notice period.[3] In July 2016, she was appointed as the first director of factual programming at Endemol Shine UK.[2]

She is married to the television producer Steve Condie, who has worked on Newsnight. The couple live in west London and have two children.[5]