Lands head of scripted role as Sebastian Cardwell prepares to depart

5 has promoted its drama commissioning editor Paul Testar to head of scripted, succeeding Sebastian Cardwell. 

As commissioning editor for drama at 5, Testar has worked alongside Cardwell for the last four and a half years across 5’s slate and on original UK commissions for Paramount+.  

In that time, Testar has commissioned over 250 hours of original drama and was lead commissioner on Ellis, Cooper & Fry and Murder Before Evensong for 5 as well as The Serial Killer’s Wife and Little Disasters for Paramount+.  

He was also the driving force behind 5’s return of Play for Today and its recent hit Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards alongside Guy Davies.  

Before joining Paramount, Testar was a producer with credits including The Serpent (BBC1/Netflix) and The Tower (ITV/Britbox). He began his career as a script editor for Mammoth Screen on shows for the BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon and Channel 4.  

In a staff email, 5 chief content officer Ben Frow called Testar “one of the very nicest men in television” and “one of the smartest creative minds out there”.  

“He will take on the role when Seb leaves us at the end of the year and will be working closely with him to ensure continuity across all of our ongoing projects,” he continued. 

MORE 5 NEWS

5 will now begin recruiting for a drama commissioning editor who will report to Paul and work across its scripted slate. 

Cardwell’s departure was announced earlier this week. The deputy content chief announced he would be leaving the broadcaster after 16 years, during which he spearheaded 5’s push into drama, increasing the broadcaster’s hours by over 10 times the number it had in 2018.