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Edgar Jones, who takes up the role with immediate effect, will oversee all entertainment production across Sky's channels, including Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Movies. He replaces the outgoing Duncan Gray.
He is possibly best known as creative director of Remarkable Pictures, part of Endemol UK, where he oversaw Big Brother for Channel 4 and a number of entertainment projects including reality shows The Salon, Space Cadets, Shattered and Seven Days on the Breadline.
He even entered the Big Brother house in summer 2010, albeit briefly, during the penultimate series of the show on Channel 4. Big Brother has since moved to Richard Desmond's Channel 5.
His production credits also include The Priory, The Jack Docherty Show, The Big Breakfast, The Word and The Sunday Show. Most recently, Edgar Jones was creative director of Running Bare, where he executive produced Very Important People with Morgana Robinson and Terry Mynott, due to air next year, and various other projects.
Sky's director commissioning Stuart Murphy said that he "can't wait" for Edgar Jones to join his team at Sky.
"He is one of the nicest and most respected people in TV, adept at running the biggest genre-busting shows in Britain, and doing it with a great sense of humour and style," said Murphy.
"Phil has the contacts and relationships with the most exciting talent in the country, so I cannot wait to support him in taking Sky Entertainment across the Sky portfolio to the next level.
"I'd like to once again thank Duncan Gray, the outgoing head, and Antonia Hurford Jones, commissioning editor, for all their hard work in this transitional period."
Edgar Jones added: "Sky is at an incredibly exciting time in its history and, under the inspirational leadership of Stuart Murphy and his brilliant team of commissioners, is the most dynamic broadcaster in the UK.
"I am thrilled to be joining Antonia and the team there, to have the opportunity to build on the fantastic work of my predecessor Duncan Gray and to work with all the talented folks I know in the production community. Best. Christmas. Ever!"
This is the latest appointment by Murphy to his commissioning team, joining Celia Taylor as head of factual, Anne Mensah as head of drama and Lucy Lumsden as head of comedy. Murphy will soon appoint a head of factual entertainment to replace the outgoing Mark Sammon.
Sky has pledged to increase its investment in original British content by 50% over the next three years, meaning the broadcaster will invest £600m a year in homegrown programming by 2014.
