Estelle Hughes
Consultant, former Controller of Children's ITV

Estelle has over 15 years experience in television broadcasting and programming....despite still being, obviously, only in her 20s. In 2007 she has begun a new phase in her career in the independent children's media industry with consulting roles in policy advising, programme production and channel launches. This comes after 6 years in senior roles at the 2 biggest UK children's broadcasters, BBC and ITV.

As Controller of Children's ITV Estelle programmed all children's airtime for the UK's largest commercial broadcaster and successfully launched the CITV Channel on freeview and cable/satellite. She commissioned across all genres and for all ages up to 12 years, examples being Bafta-winning dramas and animations My Life As A Popat, The Giblet Boys, Adrenalini Brothers, Pocoyo and The Little Reindeer as well as live Saturday shows and on-going commissions of Grizzly Tales and Art Attack. As Controller Estelle over-saw all on-air material, branding and re-branding, as well as the channel's website and on-air sales and marketing activities.

Prior to this Estelle was Deputy Head of Acquisitions and Animation at BBC Children's, working on shows such as Fairly Odd Parents, The Koala Brothers, Cramp Twins, Clifford The Big Red Dog and Corneil And Bernie. During her 3 years with the BBC she was heavily involved in the launching and programming of its 2 children's channels CBBC and CBeebies.

Estelle joined the BBC in 2000 after a freelance year as a programme consultant, much of which was spent script and story-editing in Australia. In the long cold weeks of English winters she tries hard not to think too much about life in the sun.

Estelle's first role specifically in children's TV was at the UK Disney Channel, the first channel launched by Disney outside of the UK. As Head of Development she was responsible for identifying, negotiating and creatively overseeing all programmes for the UK and for a growing number of other European channels. During her 3 years of multi-territory programming from the UK, channels were launched in Italy, Spain, Australia and France.

Prior to Disney Estelle's first job in the industry was with BSkyB, spanning 5 years of various roles during the company's earlier years 1990-95. Working on the movie output deals, compliance, acquiring films and later launching BSkyB's first joint venture channels in History and Travel this began her career after early stints as a drama teacher, cinema projectionist and damn good barmaid.