Weekend Spy: Job Spec - Sarah Mahoney

Each week we'll be asking people from all parts of the media industry - from channel controllers to catering staff, directors to digital technicians - to tell us about themselves and their job.

Name
Sarah Mahoney

Job Title
Head of programming & development, Paramount Comedy

Age
33

Lives
Central London

In the role since
July 2003

Responsibilities
Sourcing, developing and commissioning shows; sounds simple but there’s so much other ‘stuff’ as well. And having an opinion on anything comedy at the channel (from which comedian to have at a corporate, to what show to buy from the LA Screenings). I’m very vocal …

Best thing about your job
Getting to laugh a lot.

Worst thing about your job
Too many late nights.

First thing you do in the morning when you get in
Put Jeremy Kyle on, on ITV1.

Any downsides to working in the media?
Trying to get a decent work/life balance.

First media job
BBC Commercial Rights, 1995.

Biggest achievement to date
Still having a functioning liver. Or getting South Park for Paramount Comedy.

Anything you wish you'd done differently?
No, there’s no point crying over spilled milk etc.

Dream job/company/lifestyle
The cleaner for Leicester City’s Premiership trophies.

Best media jolly/event you've ever attended
Any comedy festival but especially Just For Laughs, Montreal. It’s not a jolly, but it’s jolly good fun…

What's your favourite comedy show 1) of all time 2) on at the moment?
1) Impossible question but for argument’s sake I’ll say Human Remains, and 2) South Park – consistently laugh-out-loud funny.