Federico Ruiz oversees 5’s news and current affairs output, along with a wide range of unscripted programming, including primetime police and medical documentaries, true crime, fast turnaround investigative docs and royal shows. He recently launched Piers Morgan Uncensored on 5, a world-first collaboration between a YouTube news channel and linear broadcaster, and commissioned the investigative doc Prince Andrew & The Epstein Email Scandal that uncovered the former Prince’s correspondence with disgraced financier Epstein in a world exclusive that ultimately led to the Duke’s downfall.
Fiona Lennon
Director of Insights, UK, Paramount
Fiona oversees insights into content, marketing and media landscape and trends, across the 5 portfolio.
With over 25 years experiences, across the BBC, ITV, C4 and 5, Fiona has achieved a thorough knowledge of content and what makes people want to watch. She has won awards for her work over the years including the AURA AQR Award for Qualitative Excellence and the DRUM Award Winner for Rebrand Strategy of the Year.
Over the past 4 years at paramount, she has supported Ben and the commissioning team, providing insights on performance, as well as testing ideas and sharing trends in media behaviours and attitudes, through both qualitative and quantitative research.
Kerri Garson
Senior Production Executive, Paramount
Kerri Garson is a Senior Production Executive at Paramount, overseeing Channel 5 commissions across scripted and unscripted. She brings over 20 years’ experience in a broad range of content production, leadership, focusing on financial and commercial negotiation, identifying risks to business and end to end relationship management.
Kirsty Wark
Presenter and Journalist
Kirsty Wark is one of the UK’s trailblazing female news journalists. She presented BBC’s Newsnight for 30 years, stepping down after the 2024 General Election.
Her long career on Newsnight has seen her holding politicians and public figures to account with her formidable interviewing skills. She made her reputation as a journalist and producer on BBC Scotland, memorably reporting from the scene of the Lockerbie bombing, before joining BBC 2’s arts strand The Late Show as a presenter, moving on to Newsnight in 1993.
Kirsty continued to span both arts and news/current affairs, hosting The Review Show for over a decade, as well as a range of BBC Arts series and documentaries. Over the years she has had memorable encounters with everyone from Margaret Thatcher to Madonna, Harold Pinter to Pete Doherty, Damian Hirst to George Clooney and the likes of Toni Morrison, Donna Tartt and Philip Roth.
Kirsty hosts Radio 4’s long-running flagship series The Reunion, and regularly presents of Start the Week. She continues to present arts programmes on TV and Radio, cultural history series such as The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland and Panorama specials.
Kirsty has won several major awards for her work including BAFTA Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting, Journalist of the Year and Best Television Presenter. In 2024 she was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the RTS Journalism Awards.
Linda Daubrey
VP, Audiences & Insight, UK, Paramount
Linda heads up Viewer Insight at 5, across linear and streaming, along with Forecasting and Airtime Management.
Having joined the channel in 1999, she has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the 5 audience and how they’ve evolved over time. Her team delivers a portfolio of insight for the entire business to keep viewers needs at the heart of all decisions.
Linda also sits on the Barb Management and Strategy Board ensuring the industry continues to deliver inclusive measurement across broadcast, streaming and video sharing platforms.
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Ben Frow
Chief Content Officer, UK, Paramount
Ben is Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount, with oversight of 5 and its digital brands, the wider Paramount channel portfolio.
Over the past 12 years, Ben has spearheaded a creative transformation that culminated in the channel’s rebrand to 5 in March 2025, uniting the broadcaster’s linear and streaming platforms under one roof. This evolution reflects a decade-long journey of renewal, repositioning the brand as the home of award-winning content that tells the story of modern Britain.
Under his leadership there has been a fundamental shift in 5’s reputation and increased appeal to wider audiences, recognised through a raft of industry accolades including Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2025; a Grierson Award for Suicidal: In Our Own Words, and BAFTA and RTS wins in 2024 for White Nanny, Black Child.
Denise Seneviratne
Commissioning Editor for Non‑Scripted UK Originals, 5
Denise Seneviratne is Commissioning Editor for Non‑Scripted UK Originals at 5, reporting to Chief Content Officer, Ben Frow. In her role, she is responsible for growing and shaping the broadcaster’s factual slate, driven by a passion for stories that surprise, inspire, and connect with audiences.
Her recent commissions include Diana’s Wedding Dress, Volcano, Wonders of the Moon, Wonders of the Sun, and Mysteries of the Pyramids with Dara O’Briain. She also commissioned the BAFTA‑nominated Endurance: Race to the Pole with Ben Fogle and Dwayne Fields, along with its follow‑up series Livingstone: Search for the Nile. In Natural History, her work includes two‑part series Killer Crocs and Hippos with Steve Backshall.
Seneviratne oversees 5’s medical output, commissioning Surgeons: A Matter of Life or Death and the recent The Operation: Changing Lives. Her True Crime slate includes Murder in the Family: The Thomas Kwan Affair, The Pelicot Trial, and The Killer Makes a Call, which launched the channel’s “Streamer First” model.
In addition, she manages popular factual brands including the long‑running hit The Yorkshire Vet, its spin‑off The Greens, and newcomers such as Yorkshire’s Poshest Hotel. She has also been instrumental in growing the popular Bargain Loving Brits franchise.
Before joining Paramount in 2019, Seneviratne worked as a Producer/Director on landmark series including Undercover Boss and Embarrassing Illnesses for Channel 4, and Fat Club and Real Lives for ITV. As a Series Editor and Executive Producer, she launched Paul O’Grady’s Little Heroes for ITV, Michael Mosley’s Meet the Humans, Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents for the BBC, Reverse Missionaries for BBC Two, and Channel 4’s Secret Life of 4 Year‑Olds.
Federico Ruiz
Commissioning Editor, 5
Federico Ruiz oversees 5’s news and current affairs output, along with a wide range of unscripted programming, including primetime police and medical documentaries, true crime, fast turnaround investigative docs and royal shows. He recently launched Piers Morgan Uncensored on 5, a world-first collaboration between a YouTube news channel and linear broadcaster, and commissioned the investigative doc Prince Andrew & The Epstein Email Scandal that uncovered the former Prince’s correspondence with disgraced financier Epstein in a world exclusive that ultimately led to the Duke’s downfall.
Fiona Lennon
Director of Insights, UK, Paramount
Fiona oversees insights into content, marketing and media landscape and trends, across the 5 portfolio.
With over 25 years experiences, across the BBC, ITV, C4 and 5, Fiona has achieved a thorough knowledge of content and what makes people want to watch. She has won awards for her work over the years including the AURA AQR Award for Qualitative Excellence and the DRUM Award Winner for Rebrand Strategy of the Year.
Over the past 4 years at paramount, she has supported Ben and the commissioning team, providing insights on performance, as well as testing ideas and sharing trends in media behaviours and attitudes, through both qualitative and quantitative research.
Kerri Garson
Senior Production Executive, Paramount
Kerri Garson is a Senior Production Executive at Paramount, overseeing Channel 5 commissions across scripted and unscripted. She brings over 20 years’ experience in a broad range of content production, leadership, focusing on financial and commercial negotiation, identifying risks to business and end to end relationship management.
Kirsty Wark
Presenter and Journalist
Kirsty Wark is one of the UK’s trailblazing female news journalists. She presented BBC’s Newsnight for 30 years, stepping down after the 2024 General Election.
Her long career on Newsnight has seen her holding politicians and public figures to account with her formidable interviewing skills. She made her reputation as a journalist and producer on BBC Scotland, memorably reporting from the scene of the Lockerbie bombing, before joining BBC 2’s arts strand The Late Show as a presenter, moving on to Newsnight in 1993.
Kirsty continued to span both arts and news/current affairs, hosting The Review Show for over a decade, as well as a range of BBC Arts series and documentaries. Over the years she has had memorable encounters with everyone from Margaret Thatcher to Madonna, Harold Pinter to Pete Doherty, Damian Hirst to George Clooney and the likes of Toni Morrison, Donna Tartt and Philip Roth.
Kirsty hosts Radio 4’s long-running flagship series The Reunion, and regularly presents of Start the Week. She continues to present arts programmes on TV and Radio, cultural history series such as The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland and Panorama specials.
Kirsty has won several major awards for her work including BAFTA Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting, Journalist of the Year and Best Television Presenter. In 2024 she was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the RTS Journalism Awards.
Linda Daubrey
VP, Audiences & Insight, UK, Paramount
Linda heads up Viewer Insight at 5, across linear and streaming, along with Forecasting and Airtime Management.
Having joined the channel in 1999, she has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the 5 audience and how they’ve evolved over time. Her team delivers a portfolio of insight for the entire business to keep viewers needs at the heart of all decisions.
Linda also sits on the Barb Management and Strategy Board ensuring the industry continues to deliver inclusive measurement across broadcast, streaming and video sharing platforms.
Want to hear about our next session in the Commissioner Event series? Sign up to our mailing list below.
TRC is delighted to welcome Channel 5 to Glasgow on Thursday 30th April 2026, for an in-depth session covering a variety of of topics presented by the team, including Chief Content Officer, Ben Frow. Read more about the commissioners attending the panel below.
Ben Frow
Chief Content Officer, UK, Paramount
Ben is Chief Content Officer, UK, at Paramount, with oversight of 5 and its digital brands, the wider Paramount channel portfolio.
Over the past 12 years, Ben has spearheaded a creative transformation that culminated in the channel’s rebrand to 5 in March 2025, uniting the broadcaster’s linear and streaming platforms under one roof. This evolution reflects a decade-long journey of renewal, repositioning the brand as the home of award-winning content that tells the story of modern Britain.
Under his leadership there has been a fundamental shift in 5’s reputation and increased appeal to wider audiences, recognised through a raft of industry accolades including Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2025; a Grierson Award for Suicidal: In Our Own Words, and BAFTA and RTS wins in 2024 for White Nanny, Black Child.
Denise Seneviratne
Commissioning Editor for Non‑Scripted UK Originals, 5
Denise Seneviratne is Commissioning Editor for Non‑Scripted UK Originals at 5, reporting to Chief Content Officer, Ben Frow. In her role, she is responsible for growing and shaping the broadcaster’s factual slate, driven by a passion for stories that surprise, inspire, and connect with audiences.
Her recent commissions include Diana’s Wedding Dress, Volcano, Wonders of the Moon, Wonders of the Sun, and Mysteries of the Pyramids with Dara O’Briain. She also commissioned the BAFTA‑nominated Endurance: Race to the Pole with Ben Fogle and Dwayne Fields, along with its follow‑up series Livingstone: Search for the Nile. In Natural History, her work includes two‑part series Killer Crocs and Hippos with Steve Backshall.
Seneviratne oversees 5’s medical output, commissioning Surgeons: A Matter of Life or Death and the recent The Operation: Changing Lives. Her True Crime slate includes Murder in the Family: The Thomas Kwan Affair, The Pelicot Trial, and The Killer Makes a Call, which launched the channel’s “Streamer First” model.
In addition, she manages popular factual brands including the long‑running hit The Yorkshire Vet, its spin‑off The Greens, and newcomers such as Yorkshire’s Poshest Hotel. She has also been instrumental in growing the popular Bargain Loving Brits franchise.
Before joining Paramount in 2019, Seneviratne worked as a Producer/Director on landmark series including Undercover Boss and Embarrassing Illnesses for Channel 4, and Fat Club and Real Lives for ITV. As a Series Editor and Executive Producer, she launched Paul O’Grady’s Little Heroes for ITV, Michael Mosley’s Meet the Humans, Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents for the BBC, Reverse Missionaries for BBC Two, and Channel 4’s Secret Life of 4 Year‑Olds.
Federico Ruiz
Commissioning Editor, 5
Federico Ruiz oversees 5’s news and current affairs output, along with a wide range of unscripted programming, including primetime police and medical documentaries, true crime, fast turnaround investigative docs and royal shows. He recently launched Piers Morgan Uncensored on 5, a world-first collaboration between a YouTube news channel and linear broadcaster, and commissioned the investigative doc Prince Andrew & The Epstein Email Scandal that uncovered the former Prince’s correspondence with disgraced financier Epstein in a world exclusive that ultimately led to the Duke’s downfall.
Fiona Lennon
Director of Insights, UK, Paramount
Fiona oversees insights into content, marketing and media landscape and trends, across the 5 portfolio.
With over 25 years experiences, across the BBC, ITV, C4 and 5, Fiona has achieved a thorough knowledge of content and what makes people want to watch. She has won awards for her work over the years including the AURA AQR Award for Qualitative Excellence and the DRUM Award Winner for Rebrand Strategy of the Year.
Over the past 4 years at paramount, she has supported Ben and the commissioning team, providing insights on performance, as well as testing ideas and sharing trends in media behaviours and attitudes, through both qualitative and quantitative research.
Kerri Garson
Senior Production Executive, Paramount
Kerri Garson is a Senior Production Executive at Paramount, overseeing Channel 5 commissions across scripted and unscripted. She brings over 20 years’ experience in a broad range of content production, leadership, focusing on financial and commercial negotiation, identifying risks to business and end to end relationship management.
Kirsty Wark
Presenter and Journalist
Kirsty Wark is one of the UK’s trailblazing female news journalists. She presented BBC’s Newsnight for 30 years, stepping down after the 2024 General Election.
Her long career on Newsnight has seen her holding politicians and public figures to account with her formidable interviewing skills. She made her reputation as a journalist and producer on BBC Scotland, memorably reporting from the scene of the Lockerbie bombing, before joining BBC 2’s arts strand The Late Show as a presenter, moving on to Newsnight in 1993.
Kirsty continued to span both arts and news/current affairs, hosting The Review Show for over a decade, as well as a range of BBC Arts series and documentaries. Over the years she has had memorable encounters with everyone from Margaret Thatcher to Madonna, Harold Pinter to Pete Doherty, Damian Hirst to George Clooney and the likes of Toni Morrison, Donna Tartt and Philip Roth.
Kirsty hosts Radio 4’s long-running flagship series The Reunion, and regularly presents of Start the Week. She continues to present arts programmes on TV and Radio, cultural history series such as The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland and Panorama specials.
Kirsty has won several major awards for her work including BAFTA Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting, Journalist of the Year and Best Television Presenter. In 2024 she was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the RTS Journalism Awards.
Linda Daubrey
VP, Audiences & Insight, UK, Paramount
Linda heads up Viewer Insight at 5, across linear and streaming, along with Forecasting and Airtime Management.
Having joined the channel in 1999, she has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the 5 audience and how they’ve evolved over time. Her team delivers a portfolio of insight for the entire business to keep viewers needs at the heart of all decisions.
Linda also sits on the Barb Management and Strategy Board ensuring the industry continues to deliver inclusive measurement across broadcast, streaming and video sharing platforms.
Want to hear about our next session in the Commissioner Event series? Sign up to our mailing list below.