Red Planet Pictures hires BBC producer

Red Planet Pictures has hired long-time BBC producer Mary Downes to lead its new factual division.

Twelve years in the corporation's specialist factual and current affairs departments have seen Downes work on Art That Shook The World, The Big Read and If....

She joins Life on Mars and Hustle co-creator Tony Jordan who set up the independent production company.

"Although my experience and expertise is in drama I have always had a great passion for factual programming," said Jordan. "To have been able to appoint such a well-respected and experienced producer as Mary, who has a wealth of knowledge and a wonderful array of programming to her name, is a real coup."

Red Planet has also recently hired Footballers' Wives producer Claire Phillips as senior drama executive and Simon Winstone, ex-EastEnders chief writer and Life on Mars co-creator, as head of drama in Wales.