[michael21]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...aves-channel-5

Long-serving executive departs Richard Desmond-owned broadcaster after two years as director of programmes

Channel 5 director of programmes Jeff Ford is leaving the Richard Desmond-owned broadcaster.

Ford was one of the few senior Channel 5 executives who stayed after it was bought by Desmond, the owner of the Daily Star and Daily Express, for £104m in July 2010.

He was director of digital channels at the time and was promoted to director of programmes in August 2010 following Richard Woolfe's departure.

Ford has spent more than a decade at Channel 5 in two separate stints, the second beginning in 2009 after he returned from Channel 4.

As Channel 5's director of programmes, Ford oversaw the return of Big Brother to UK television after it was dropped by Channel 4.

Under Desmond's ownership, Channel 5 became the home of Big Brother and its celebrity offshoot, Celebrity Big Brother. The show will stay with the broadcaster until 2014.

The reality show helped boost Channel 5 ratings, but predictably failed to hit the highs of when it aired on Channel 4.

In an interview earlier this year, Ford said people looked down their nose at Channel 5. "Yes, I think there is snobbery," he told Broadcast.

"C5 is an easy target, but Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan or Cowboy Builders could be on any other channel, and Alex Polizzi is doing a show for BBC2 that's not a million miles away from what she does for us.

"There is snobbery, but when you talk to people one-to-one in the industry, they are more supportive."

One of the more quotable TV executives, Ford said of his loyalty to Channel 5: "Mary Tudor said that when she died, the word Calais would be inscribed on her heart. If you cut my heart it would say Channel 5 – though I'm not sure whether it would be the words or the numeral."

Ford previously worked as Channel 5's director of acquisitions from its launch in 1997, leaving to join Channel 4 in 2005.

He previously worked in acquisitions at ITV and the BBC, where he began his TV career in 1985.

good news i hope there keep the boxing and mma