Lorraine Heggessey
Lorraine Heggessey became Chief Executive Officer of talkbackTHAMES in May 2005 and leads one of the UK’s largest production companies.
Producing over 500 hours of programming a year, for all major channels and across all genres and platforms, talkbackTHAMES is responsible for a raft of brand leaders and award-winning output including The X Factor, The Apprentice, Grand Designs, Stephen Poliakoff’s Emmy award-winning dramas, The Bill, Green Wing and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Under Lorraine’s leadership, entertainment output alone has more than doubled - talkbackTHAMES was ITV's largest supplier of new titles in 2006.
Prior to joining the company, Lorraine was the first female Controller of BBC ONE, a position she took up in October 2000. She oversaw the channel’s re-branding and a comprehensive shake-up of it's schedule including the move of the news from 9 to 10, with particular emphasis on new drama and revitalising Saturday night. Lorraine was responsible for many successful launches including Dr Who, Strictly Come Dancing, Spooks and Bleak House. During Lorraine's controllership, BBC ONE became the biggest investor in comedy launching new shows such as My Family and All About Me.
Lorraine has a long track record in making current affairs, documentaries and popular factual programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, as well as in the independent sector. In 2006 Lorraine was awarded the Media Award at the CBI Real Business First Woman Awards and in 2005, Woman of the Year at the Women in Film and Television Awards.
