Simon Shaps
British television executive and producer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Simon Shaps (born 10 September 1956) is a British television executive and producer, and former ITV director of television.
Simon Shaps | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 September 1956 England |
| Education | Magdalene College, Cambridge |
| Occupations | Television executive, television producer, former reporter |
| Employer(s) | Thames Television, Granada Television, ITV |
Early life and career
Shaps attended Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, Hertfordshire and studied English at Magdalene College, Cambridge.[1]
He began his career as a reporter on the Cambridge Evening News in 1979; in a speech to the Royal Television Society (RTS) he described this time as "a two-year stint in Siberia".
In 1982 he joined Thames Television as a researcher, having been turned down by the BBC for a job as a graduate trainee. As a television producer he produced Strange but True? and The One That Got Away.[citation needed]
In 1997 he became director of programmes at Granada Television in Manchester. In 2001 he became Managing director of Granada content. In November 2003 he became chief executive of Granada Television.[citation needed]
He became ITV director of television on 21 September 2005,[2] leaving in 2008. Under his leadership, ITV revived its programme line-up, unceremoniously dispensing with many long-running programmes. His cancellation of Foyle's War was speedily reversed given its viewing figures and popularity.
Personal life
He is married with three children.