‘Doctor Who’ producer Jane Tranter to chair 50th Edinburgh TV Festival
Jane Tranter has been appointed advisory chair for the Edinburgh TV Festival from 2025, which also marks the 50th anniversary of his Mactaggart lecture.
The influential TV director, whose production company Bad Wolf is currently producing ‘Doctor Who’ in addition to BBC Studios, will collaborate with creative director Rowan Woods to shape the editorial direction of the festival.
Tranter brings serious industrial muscles in the role, after he previously served as BBC’s controller of drama and fiction before launching BBC Worldwide Productions in Los Angeles. The slate of the experienced producer includes HBO’s Emmy-winning ‘The Night of’, BBC/HBO’s ‘Industry’ and the Bafta-winning ‘I Hate Suzie’. She also produced executive HBO’s Zeitgeist-defining drama ‘succession’.
The festival rolls out major changes to its programming approach and introduces an open call for session ideas and producers – a deviation from the previous model for advisory committee. Session producers receive free festival passes, while a series of town hall meetings in the United Kingdom will help shape the agenda of the event.
The 2025 edition will also expand its accessibility initiatives with increased fairs and a new program aimed at first attendees.
“The British TV industry has been flourished in the last half century and in a not small way that is due to individual, diverse and talented people, both on and outside camera, so that their voices are heard,” said Troter. “The Edinburgh TV Festival has always embraced a passionate debate and for his 50th birthday I would like to hear those voices rising to a loud, discursive, festive roar.”
Festival chair Fatima Salaria praised the tranter as a ‘powerhouse’, in which she noticed her ‘playful feeling of disaster and fearless instinct for danger’.
Previous speakers from the Edinburgh TV festival have included heavyweight industrial names such as Jesse Armstrong, Billy Connolly, Steve Coogan, Brian Cox, Lin Manuel Miranda and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
