In this episode of TV Makers, Ashley Golder sits down with Andy Harrower, CEO of Directors UK, for an honest conversation about the real state of the TV and film industry and what’s being done behind the scenes to protect freelancers.

Andy offers a clear-eyed look at where the industry finds itself heading into 2026: a prolonged commissioning slowdown, growing insecurity for freelancers, and an erosion of the director’s role across parts of television. Together, they unpack why directors still matter, why prep and edit time are being squeezed, and how “false economies” are quietly pushing creatives to breaking point.

The conversation explores:

•Why only 12% of people in TV and film say it’s a mentally healthy place to work

•The freelance reality behind the programmes audiences love

•How power, budgets, and hiring practices really operate in today’s TV landscape

•What Directors UK is doing through lobbying, forums, and policy work to support directors and freelancers more widely

•The government’s proposed “Freelance Champion” - what it is, why it matters, and whether it will actually have teeth

•How AI, copyright, and data scraping threaten creative ownership

•Why diversity “initiatives” aren’t enough

•Where hope still exists for directors and freelancers as the industry shifts toward digital-first models

This is a serious, thoughtful episode about precarity, power, and protection - and why the fight for freelancers is one the entire industry should care about.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Enjoying the series? Don't underestimate the power of the share, rate, and subscribe bit! It really helps! Whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment, or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod

Got a question or guest suggestion? Email us at podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Thank you to our Sponsors:
RIMMS- https://www.rimms.tv
The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk
Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com


Edited By Ben Seal

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

In this episode of TV Makers, Ashley Golder speaks to Mirusha Jegatheeswaran, an ITV Support Engineer working across high-output television at ITV Studios.

Mirusha’s role sits at the heart of broadcast production – keeping studios, systems and post-production running smoothly so shows stay on air. But her route into television wasn’t a traditional one. She entered the industry with zero broadcast experience, stepped into one of the most male-dominated technical roles in TV, and built her career by learning on the job while refusing to let gatekeeping slow her down.

Since recording this episode, Mirusha has won a Rise Award 2025 in the Influencer category, recognising her commitment to sharing knowledge, supporting others, and helping open up access to technical roles in the industry. She has also been nominated for further industry awards to be announced later this year! Go Mirusha!

In this conversation, Mirusha breaks down what a support engineer actually does day to day, the realities of being responsible for keeping high-output shows on air, and why knowledge-sharing matters more than ever in television.

In this episode, we cover:

• What a Support Engineer really does in TV
• Keeping high-output shows broadcasting behind the scenes
• The pressure of live and near-live technical environments
• Entering television with no broadcast experience
• Gatekeeping, confidence, and knowledge sharing
• Working in a male-dominated technical role
• Why collaboration matters behind the scenes

We couldn’t fit everything into our recording time but Mirusha would also like to add:
“Being part of the Rise Women in Broadcast Mentoring Programme in 2021 has been especially valuable as someone new to the TV and media industry with no prior experience. It has given me structured guidance, confidence, and insight into industry practices, while also helping me build a supportive network of women who work in the sector. This safe circle has made me feel welcomed and wanted, while providing role models and connections that encourage my growth and help me establish a strong foundation for my career in broadcasting. The programme has also helped me attend industry events till this day, meet new people, and continue to build my LinkedIn profile, strengthening my visibility and opportunities within the industry."

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Enjoying the series? Don't underestimate the power of the share, rate, and subscribe bit! It really helps! Whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment, or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod

Got a question or guest suggestion? Email us at podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Thank you to our Sponsors:
RIMMS- https://www.rimms.tv
The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk
Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com


Edited By Ben Seal

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

Ollie Waton, sound supervisor and audio specialist, pulls back the curtain on the invisible decisions that keep live television on air - and why the best sound work is often the work nobody notices.

From arena-sized music performances and live Premier League matches, to high-pressure comedy specials and long-running observational documentaries, Ollie explains what really happens when things don’t go to plan, how senior crew make judgement calls in seconds, and why preparation matters far more than perfection.

We talk about professional “cheating” like click tracks that nobody knows about, the difference between technical skill and creative judgement, why future recruits are missing a crucial part of the job, and the uncomfortable truth about when sound issues are - occasionally - caused by the camera department?

Enjoying the series?
Please share, rate, and subscribe. Whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod.

Got a question or guest suggestion?
Email podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Thank you to our Sponsors:
RIMMS - https://www.rimms.tv
The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk
Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com

Recorded and Edited by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram: @tvmakerspod
Email: podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

Andy Mundy-Castle - Founder of Doc Hearts, and director of BAFTA-winning White Nanny, Black Child, joins TV Makers to unpack the real craft of documentary storytelling and what it genuinely takes to run a purpose-led indie in one of the toughest TV markets we've ever seen.

Andy shares how his background and lived experience shaped his filmmaking: stories rooted in truth, crafted with cinematic ambition, and always led by empathy over exploitation. We break down his creative “toolkit” and how he uses structure, emotional pacing, and careful contributor relationships to protect authenticity without losing audience engagement.

Andy also opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship in TV: early-business near-bankruptcies, delayed commissions, surviving the festival circuit, navigating distribution, building culture inside a small team, and why networking is still key. Plus his unfiltered take on the industry’s existential moment - fewer, bigger, better; digital disruption; burnout; and why now is the time for creatives to diversify, industrialise their skills and rediscover the value of good storytelling.

If you’re directing, developing your own docs, juggling career crossroads or considering starting a production company, this episode is packed with lived experience, practical frameworks and the kind of honesty rarely said out loud in TV.

Enjoying the new series?
Please share, rate and subscribe. Whether you're watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod.

Thank you to our Sponsors:

RIMMS - https://www.rimms.tv

The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk

Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com

Edited By Ben Seal

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

John Comerford, Head of Naked West, lifts the lid on how iconic legacy shows like Grand Designs, Escape to the Country and Great British Railway Journeys stay relevant after decades on air - and what it really takes to future-proof long-running television in a digital-first world.

From leadership lessons learned across an impressive career, to keeping Kevin McCloud, Michael Portillo and the team behind the cameras creatively energised, John explains how teams protect the core of a heritage brand while still needing to evolve it for new audiences.

We dive into why legacy shows don’t die because digital grows, the real reasons some formats fade away, how social and spin-offs like Grand Designs Deconstructed are assisting the TV landscape, and the one warning every producer should take seriously: don’t enter “the dying rooms” by failing to innovate.

If you’re making long-running series, pitching new IP, or trying to understand how broadcast and digital work together now, this episode is essential listening.

Enjoying the new series?
Please share, rate, and subscribe. Whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod.

Got a question or guest suggestion?
Email podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Thank you to our Sponsors:
RIMMS- https://www.rimms.tv
The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk
Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

Channel 4’s Senior Commissioning Editor and Business Operations Lead for Digital, Laura Marks, reveals the insider rules behind digital commissioning, what most producers get wrong, what Channel 4 really looks for and how to create digital gold in a post-linear world.

From understanding the “minus 10 seconds” rule for thumbnails to balancing data with gut instinct, Laura breaks down how her team commissions content for YouTube and social platforms, why not everyone can do it, and why risk, access, and creativity still matter more than algorithms.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pitch to Channel 4 Digital, what defines a true “YouTube-first” idea, or how traditional TV teams can adapt to the changing landscape, this episode is essential listening!

Enjoying the new series? Don't underestimate the power of the share, rate, and subscribe bit! It really helps! Whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment, or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod

Got a question or guest suggestion? Email us at podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Thank you to our Sponsors:
RIMMS- https://www.rimms.tv
The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk
Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com


Edited By Ben Seal

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

What happens when a podcast refuses to play by podcast rules?

To kick off Series 4 of TV Makers, I sit down with Anthony Smith - Director of Trailers for The Diary Of A CEO - to uncover how a show once told it had “no right” to build a full-scale production has become one of the biggest podcasts in the world.

Anthony takes us inside the trailer strategy that’s helped drive that success - from the must-have ingredients of a killer trailer to the tiny, deliberate beats that make people stop scrolling and lean in. He then shares how data and analytics supercharge that creativity: testing thumbnails, analysing performance, and crafting every moment with purpose.

We talk:

• Why podcasting has outpaced TV on audience insights and targeting
• How data and creativity work together to create “must watch” trailers
• Why trailers are now one of the most powerful storytelling tools in the business
• And what TV can learn from digital if it wants to catch up.

If you work in TV and want to understand the shift that’s already happened, this one’s for you.

Hit play, and let’s get into it.

Enjoying the new series? Please share, rate, and subscribe. Whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on your favourite podcast app, drop us a comment, or connect with us on Instagram at @tvmakerspod

Got a question or guest suggestion? Email us at podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Thank you to our Sponsors:

RIMMS - https://www.rimms.tv

The Kit House - https://www.kithouserental.co.uk

Directed By Good - https://www.directedbygood.com

Edited By Ben Seal

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com

True Crime, Tough Calls, and the Role of the Series Producer

For the Series 3 finale of TV Makers , we're joined by Award-winning Series Producer Zoe Hines, behind some of Netflix's biggest shows including the acclaimed, I Am a Killer.

Zoe lifts the lid on what it really means to lead a high-profile, ethically complex documentary series—discussing everything from legal and editorial responsibilities to the professional care of victims, contributors, and production teams.

We also dig into the role of an SP, her perspective on the rising expectation for SPs to shoot, and how she sets up systems to protect teams on the ground and in the edit.

If you heard the intro where I gush over Peak Design: check them out here.

If you want to get in touch with Zoe, she can be found on LinkedIn, here.

Thanks again for listening, and we'll see you in Series 4!

Recorded by Ashley Golder - https://ashleygolder.tv/
Instagram @tvmakerspod
Email: Podcast@tvmakers.co.uk

Artwork by Benjamin Leon -
Instagram: @benleondraws
Website: www.benleondraws.com