ITV poaches Five's director of acquisitions

ITV has appointed Jay Kandola as its new director of acquisitions.

The news comes a day after the broadcaster brought in CBBC controller Alison Sharman to fill the newly-created position of director of factual and daytime.

Kandola, currently Five's director of acquisitions, previously held the same post at Channel 4, where she was responsible for snagging acclaimed hits The Simpsons, Desperate Housewives and Lost.

"Acquired programming is increasingly important for ITV as we can expand the ITV family," said Simon Shaps, director of television. "In recent months we have seen how the right series can break through to become huge hits and we are delighted to have the person responsible for bringing to the UK two huge shows like Desperate Housewives and Lost at ITV."

Reporting to Shaps, Kandola will be charged with acquisitions for both ITV1 and its ever-expanding portfolio of digital channels.

Of the appointment, she said: "Whilst I am enormously sad to be leaving Five the prospect of acquiring for Europe's leading commercial broadcaster across its 4 channels proved irresistible."