Dunthorne appointed Channel 5 COO
November 7, 2012
The executive who runs Richard Desmond’s adult channels is to be handed responsibility for running Channel 5.
Paul Dunthorne is the long-serving managing director of Portland TV, which operates 17 channels including Television X. He will now take over day-to-day management of Channel 5, whilst retaining his existing job.
Dunthorne, who will take over responsibilty for running the channel immediately, will become the chief operating officer at Channel 5, reporting to Paul Ashford, the editorial director at Desmond’s holding company, Northern & Shell.
The expansion of Dunthorne’s responsibilities from the adult to the mainstream follows the already announced departure of Jeff Ford, the director of programmes at Channel 5. Ford will leave Channel 5 on December 1st.