UKTV adds global acquisitions managers

British broadcaster UKTV has bolstered its acquisitions team with the appointment of Eccho Rights and Narrative Entertainment alumni Lucy Roberts and Francesca Newington.

Roberts and Newington have joined as global acquisitions managers on 12-month contracts, with both overseeing third-party acquisitions and pre-buys across UKTV’s portfolio of channels and BBC Studios’ global channel platforms. 

They will report into interim senior global head of acquisitions Sophie Judge, with Karin Marelle, the recently appointed global head of acquisitions, leading the team. UKTV recently snapped up over 400 episodes of Neighbours in a deal with Fremantle.

Newington brings more than 20 years’ experience in global acquisitions and channel management across linear, FAST, AVoD and digital platforms. Most recently she led editorial and content strategy at Narrative Entertainment’s POP channels and previously held roles including head of kids’ networks at Sony Pictures Television.

Roberts joins with over two decades of experience spanning sales, co-production and pre-sales across both scripted and unscripted, having held roles at Eccho Rights, DRG, All3Media International, BBC Studios and ITV Studios. She most recently served as director of sales of Eccho Rights, having joined the company in 2021 to launch its London office.

She has worked across key international markets including the UK, North America, Australia and Europe.