Channel 5 'to cull more big-name execs'

Some of Channel 5's longest-serving executives are to take voluntary redundancy as part of new owner Richard Desmond's major cost-cutting initiative, it has emerged.

According to The Guardian, staff were informed yesterday that director of children's programming Nick Wilson, controller of sport Robert Charles and senior programming controller Chris Shaw would be leaving the broadcaster.

Former News At Ten editor Shaw helped launch Five News in 1997, ushering in a more informal approach to newsreading that was subsequently copied by other broadcasters.

He later became Channel 5's controller of news, current affairs and documentaries, before taking up the senior programme controller role.

Wilson has been involved in Channel 5's children's department since 1996, before the channel went live in 1997. His achievements include helping to set up the hugely popular Milkshake! pre-school strand.

Charles joined Channel 5 in 1997 and helped bring live football to the channel, along with Test match cricket highlights in 2006.

Last month, Desmond confirmed plans to cull seven of Channel Five's nine executive directors as part of a major shake-up of the business he acquired in a £103.5m deal.

Among the high-profile departures were Channel 5's chief executive Dawn Airey, director of programmes Richard Woolfe and managing director Mark White.

Other executives understood to have taken voluntary redundancy include entertainment head Donna Taberer and head of production Nan Whittingham. Those opting for redundancy will leave Channel 5 over the next few weeks.