Siân O’Callaghan leads trio of senior appointments at ITV Studios label

ITV Studios label Boom has unveiled a trio of senior appointments, with Siân O’Callaghan named managing director.

O’Callaghan joins from BBC Studios where she was director of production for drama, comedy and fiction responsible for series such as EastEnders, Silent Witness, Father Brown, Casualty and Pobol y Cwm.

As Boom managing director she will devise the Welsh indie’s creative and business strategy, building on its reputation as a champion of Welsh and English-language content. O’Callaghan brings a background in news, current affairs and factual, with over 30 years of editorial and production experience.

She takes over from Nia Thomas who stepped down as managing director of Boom in March, after 26 years with the company – including 14 as managing director.

O’Callaghan will be supported by the arrival of exec producer Louise Allen, who has been appointed to the newly created position of creative director.

Allen has worked on major reality entertainment brands such as The Only Way Is Essex, Love Island, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Gogglebox.

She’s also developed and exec produced unscripted hits such as Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle and Squid Game: The Challenge.

Elsewhere, Boom’s director of programmes and interim managing director Rachel Evans has been promoted to creative director. Evans has been central to expanding Boom’s slate as an exec producer for shows such as drama Men Up for the BBC, S4C content such as Y Llais (The Voice), and Hot Cakes for BBC Wales/BBC iPlayer.

Evans will lead Boom’s creative strategy focusing on Welsh-language and scripted programming, while partnering with Allen to expand the label’s broader reach. Both will report into O’Callaghan.

The appointments were unveiled by ITV Studios’ unscripted managing director Tim Carter, who said: “Securing first-class creative leaders like Siân O’Callaghan and Louise Allen to join Rachel Evans reflects the ambitions of Boom.

“Siân’s strategic expertise in managing some of the UK’s most iconic drama series, combined with Louise’s track record in delivering global hits and Rachel’s deep understanding of Welsh-language, multi-genre and scripted content is a game-changing combination and positions Boom perfectly to continue expanding its slate.”

He also thanked Nia Thomas for her “incredible contribution to Boom” adding that she has been “an integral part of the company’s success”.