Series Producer Programme – Meet the Delegates

Read more about the delegates taking part in the ScreenSkills Series Producer Programme this year. 

Running from June 2025 to January 2026, the Series Producer Programme is designed to support significantly experienced producers and early-stage Series Producers looking to bridge gaps in their experience. This programme will empower new Series Producers based in the Nations and Regions with the confidence and skills needed to establish themselves and succeed on network production, creating the next generation of showrunners for UK television.

This training programme is funded by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

Ben Sheldon is a multi-award-winning Series Producer and Director known for delivering cinematic, editorially sharp documentaries for Channel 4, Amazon Prime and the BBC. He’s documented the first cries of newborns in “Life and Birth” and the people’s final goodbyes in “Ambulance”, capturing the full spectrum of human life – and considers it a real privilege to be invited into people’s most intimate, defining moments. From securing a world-first in filming Reaper drones on live missions in the Middle East to capturing complex neurosurgery, Ben specialises in sensitive, character led access. He brings rigour, empathy and a drive to push the creative boundaries of documentary storytelling.

Celia Jennison is a BAFTA winning documentary producer known for creating bold, socially-driven films that amplify underrepresented voices and challenge systemic injustice. With a background in investigative storytelling and a passion for human rights, Celia has produced a range of acclaimed documentaries tackling issues from violence against women and girls to institutional scandal. Celia’s collaborative approach ensures authenticity and impact, earning her recognition across UK broadcasters and global streamers. She brings a strong editorial vision, deep sensitivity, and a proven track record of turning complex, sensitive stories into powerful television.

Eleanor is a producer and shooting pd who started her career casting for antique tv programmes in 2007.

During the 2008 economic downturn she took the opportunity to temporarily relocate to Italy to learn the language and after returning worked in London, Cardiff and Bristol working on multiple award winning series like “Hunted”, “Masterchef: the Professionals” and “Escape to the Country”. She relocated back to Wales in 2020 and now works across Welsh and national productions or filming network series abroad. She has cultivated a specialism is working on travelogues (most notably Italian) for multiple channels and streamers and includes the first 2 series of “Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job” for BBC 1 and the new “Tucci in Italy” with Stanley Tucci for Disney+ as some of her most recent credits.

George is a freelance Producer Director & Story/Edit Producer from Yorkshire, who began his career at ITV in Leeds. He has since collaborated with respected indies across Northern England and worked on a wide range of genres. With credits on beautifully crafted series as “The Yorkshire Dales” and “The Lakes, Devon and Cornwall”, and “Fletchers’ Family Farm”, George has established his niche in heartfelt storytelling. Organised, creative and diligent, George brings ideas to life with a strong editorial sense and director’s eye for character-driven films. His recent Development Producer role now means he is attuned to the evolving industry landscape.

Georgina Leslie is an EMMY nominated and BAFTA award winning Producer/Director with nearly 20 years’ experience in high-end documentary, history, arts and specialist factual. With a journalist background and more than a decade spent honing her craft at the BBC before going freelance, she’s worked on critically acclaimed series such as “Who Do You Think You Are”, “The Culture Show”, “Catching Britain’s Killers” and “Lucy Worsley Investigates”.. Taking her films from initial idea to final delivery, she prides herself on her journalistic rigour and creative flair – and is passionate about telling powerful factual stories that connect emotionally with the audience. 

Hollie Smith is a Senior Producer, Edit Producer and Development Producer with more than a decade’s experience across high-profile factual, documentary and factual entertainment programming. She has shaped prime-time programmes from pitch through to post – with strong editorial judgement and clarity. A former journalist, she has led teams across fast-turnaround strands, and is equally at home shooting on location, crafting in the edit, or developing new formats.

Currently based in Glasgow, Hollie is focused on stepping into Series Producing – bringing together her leadership experience, passion for story, and commitment to building inclusive, collaborative teams.

Jonny Smith is a Shooting Producer/Director with over a decade of experience in television, working with major broadcasters and streamers including the BBC, ITV, Netflix and Amazon. Known for his strong editorial judgment, instinctive storytelling and confident self-shooting, he’s filmed across the UK and abroad on complex, sensitive and ambitious productions. He began his career in film before moving into sport, documentaries and formatted factual. Originally from the South Shields, Jonny recently launched his own production company Bonny Lad Productions and is now looking to step up to Series Producer and take the creative and editorial lead on future projects.

Keeley is a versatile Producer/Director and Edit Producer with over 14 years’ experience across factual, obs doc, current affairs, factual entertainment and lifestyle formats. From working with vulnerable contributors with sensitive access to directing feel-good formats, she brings empathy, creativity and integrity to every project.

She’s worked across the Nations and Regions as well as internationally, for all major UK broadcasters, shaping stories both on location and in the edit. With a background in journalism and experience in scripted storytelling, Keeley has a strong instinct for narrative and tone. Whether navigating sensitive access or crafting warm, accessible content, she’s passionate about telling stories that resonate and reflect real lives.

Lloyd began his television career at 16, working on Welsh-language productions before leaving school early to accept a place on a BBC Apprenticeship Scheme. He cut his teeth on live studio shows “The One Show” and “This Morning”, and spent the next 10 years working across a broad range of factual entertainment programmes including “Dragons’ Den”, “The Great British Bake Off”, “First Dates”, and “Race Across the World”. The COVID pandemic brought him back to Wales, where for the past five years he has worked as a producer, leading casting teams on shows such as “Top Gear”, “Only Connect” and “Antiques Roadshow” as well as working on “Wales’ Home of the Year” since its inception. 

Simon Muriel is a highly experienced and super-versatile, RTS and Emmy award winning Producer/Director and Edit Producer with 26 years of experience in the industry and 35 Producer credits. He has a passion for natural history (“Extreme Planet Earth”, ITV”, “Earth At Night”, Apple, “Incredible Animal Journeys”, Disney+) a love of adventurous documentary (“Primal Survivor”, Nat Geo, “A Cabbie Abroad”, BBC2, “Toughest Place to Be ..”, BBC 2, “Airforce Afghanistan”, FIVE, “Japan’s Atlantis with Monty Halls”, Nat Geo) and a zeal for factual entertainment and ob doc (“One Born Every Minute”, C4, “Rescue Dog to Superdog”, C4, “Amir Khan’s Angry Young Men”, C4, “Don’t Tell The Bride”, C4). He prides himself on his ability to distil complex subjects and create compelling heartfelt stories from all aspects of life.

Stephanie is an Emmy-award-winning Producer/Director and Edit Producer with a passion for documenting the natural world. She started her career developing and directing short-form films for the “One Show” before moving into live TV, working on shows such as BBC “Springwatch” and National Geographic’s “Earth Live”. Ten years ago Stephanie began directing and producing blue-chip Natural History documentaries, such as Disney’s “A Real Bugs Life”, Netflix’s “Night on Earth” and National Geographic’s “Super/Natural”, and through this she has become particularly experienced with filming in extreme and remote environments. Stephanie is currently producing both wildlife and human focused episodes for a major new series for a leading SVOD.

Will is an award-winning Senior Producer and Director specialising in creating landmark wildlife films, including the most watched series of 2017 (“Blue Planet II”) and the most watched factual series of 2023 (“Planet Earth III”). Will began his career in TV 20 years ago in London, making children’s wildlife series for Channel five and later as a self-shooting PD on factual entertainment formats for BBC and Channel Four, such as “Wanted Down Under” and “Celebrity Antiques Road Trip”. In 2010 he joined BBC’s Natural History Unit in Bristol, where he produced a wide range of natural history series, before specialising in landmark blue-chip series.

The Series Producer Programme is a ScreenSkills programme delivered by TRC.

ScreenSkills is the industry-led skills body for the UK’s screen industries.