Harjeet Chokkar Revealed as 2024 Edinburgh TV Festival Advisory Chair

The Edinburgh TV Festival (ETF), the UK’s leading television industry event brought to you by Screen Scotland, today announced that Harjeet Chhokar will be taking on the Festival’s Advisory Chair for 2024.

A passionate advocate for the Television industry and a champion of the medium as an impactful cultural force, Chhokar has extensive experience across non-scripted both as a producer and latterly as a commissioner. The Unscripted Executive at Amazon MGM Studios / Prime Video now works with production companies from across the UK to develop, greenlight and deliver content for Prime Video. Since joining the service in November 2021, he has worked across the unscripted programming spectrum, including recent hits; 007: Road to a Million, Clarkson’s Farm, the BAFTA Scotland Award winning Three Mothers, Two Babies and a Scandal and The Greatest Show Never Made, as well sports documentaries, including Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, All or Nothing: Arsenal and the upcoming 99 and Four Kings.

Prior to this, Chhokar was in the Channel 4 Factual Commissioning team, where he worked on and delivered a number of series and singles, including Murder Island, 999: On the Frontline and Sex Actually with Alice Levine. Before his move into commissioning, he worked in production for over 17 years, starting off as a BBC Production trainee and working his way up to series producer, working on everything from Wife Swap and Holiday Showdown to The Family, One Born Every Minute and Educating Yorkshire to The Secret Life of 5 Years Olds, Ambulance and Pilgrimage.

Chhokar brings his passion and drive for this industry to the 2024 Festival where he will be working closely with new Creative Director, Rowan Woods, to deliver an engaging, timely and impactful programme.

Chhokar said: “Television is the most powerful cultural force in the world. You only have to see its impact in the first few weeks of the year so far to witness its ability to touch our lives. Whether it’s being on the edge of our seats during The Traitors, the justified outrage caused by Mr Bates vs the Post Office or being drawn into the icy mystery on the latest, brilliant series of True Detective, TV continues to shape us all in so many ways. However, behind the screen, we find ourselves at a crossroads, with the freelancer crisis continuing, production companies and broadcasters under pressure and the continual challenge of staying relevant in these ever-changing times. There will be a lot to discuss, debate and discover this year and I am excited about not only delivering a Festival that sets the agenda for the following 12 months, but also celebrates the creativity and passion that drives our industry.”

The Festival’s Executive Chair, Fatima Salaria, added: “I’m proud that Harjeet will be at the helm for this year’s Festival. His experience as a filmmaker, Commissioner for Channel 4 and now Amazon UK, puts him at the centre of our Industry. His passion for nurturing and supporting new talent, regional Indies and outsiders, is much admired. He has a love for making TV that matters and will bring all of this and his desire to change the Industry for the better to the Festival. He has achieved much in his career through sheer hard work which has made him a role model to many.”

The Festival’s 2024 advisory committee was also announced today. It usual, it is made up of individuals from across a broad spectrum of the industry who will be supporting Chhokar and Woods in shaping the Festival programme.

Woods commented: “I’m delighted to have Harjeet and this outstanding group of industry leaders on board to help shape this year’s Festival. As the news of the past week has only served to underline, this is a real inflection moment in the industry both in the UK and internationally. It’s also a year that will have political implications on a global scale. We look forward to delivering a Festival that feels timely and responsive to the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape; one that brings the industry together to celebrate creative voices, sharp minds and cultural impact, while also providing a vital platform for dialogue and debate; and an opportunity to ask tough questions, explore solutions and chart a collective way forward.”

The Festival will once again take place at the EICC in Edinburgh from 2pm on Tuesday 20 August to 2pm on Friday 23 August.

For 2024, the cost of passes to the Edinburgh TV Festival will be frozen, reduced for underrepresented groups and a new, more affordable, rate will be introduced for small indies, joining our flexible freelancer rate to ensure everyone can be involved in the most important forum for debate and celebration in television. A limited number of super early-bird passes go on sale today at www.thetvfestival.com

Speakers and sessions for this year’s Festival will be announced in due course.