Richard Woolfe joins 'Good Omens' producer

Former Channel 5 and Sky1 channel controller Richard Woolfe has re-emerged at Prime Focus, the production company behind Neil Gaiman's Good Omens.

Woolfe, who left Channel 5 last August as part of new owner Richard Desmond's major cull of senior executives, has been appointed to the newly-created role of creative director at Prime Focus Productions.

He will be tasked with developing new entertainment and drama programming, as well as overseeing existing projects, such as Cold War spy thriller Department 13 starring David Jason and Good Omens, a television adaptation of the novel co-written by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Prime Focus, founded in 1997, launched television arm Prime Focus Productions in February with the aim of focusing on high-end drama and entertainment formats.

Woolfe will work closely with Prime Focus managing director Rod Brown, after they previously collaborated for a Sky1 adaptation of Pratchett's Hogfather.

"I am thrilled to be joining Prime Focus Productions. I share the passion and vision of Simon [Briggs, managing director of Prime Focus UK] and Rod to create a truly global entertainment and drama content brand," said Woolfe.

"I love the can-do, let's-make-it-happen attitude of the entire company and I cannot wait to bring exciting new and genre-busting programming both here and around the world."

Brown added: "I've worked with Richard in the past and I'm thrilled to have him join us. Appointing someone with Richard's pedigree in production and commissioning delivers on the promise we made when we set up Prime Focus Productions five months ago - to have the best in the industry working together to create superlative entertainment content."

Also joining Prime Focus is Tiger Aspect executive Lynn Lugsden as commercial director for production, overseeing the management and exploitation of Prime Focus brands.