MEET THE TEAM

Dive into Spark’s broad mix of programming below…

The Spark Family

Spark’s unique structure allows us to work with talented individuals from across the industry on a full-time or part-time basis. We want the best production talent to want to work with us and we’re set up to reward people accordingly.

The Founders

Mark Baker

Founder

I’ve been working in the industry since leaving university back in 1992 and started out as a runner on comedy shows such as Red Dwarf and Root Into Europe. However, I was

quickly drawn into the world of live TV and between 1993-1999 had an alarm clock set for 3am after landing a job on C4’s seminal morning show, The Big Breakfast. With occasional time-off for good behaviour, I also worked on BBC’s Confessions, ITVs’ CITV Awards and LWT’s notorious late night series Live from the Capital Café where I met Steve. We set up award-winning format house Mast Media in 1999, successfully writing and selling formats to broadcasters around the world including winner of the Silver Rose of Montreux Oblivious and lottery-based game show The Big Call which offered the biggest prize in TV history! Mast Media was bought by Zodiak in 2008 and we exited in 2013. We set up Spark Media Partners in 2014 and were fortunate to hit the ground running with the commission in our first year of Escape To The Chateau and Battlechefs. The Chateau brand has continued to grow from strength to strength and we are now in the 7th season of our hit series Chateau DIY.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE – the indomitable – and soon to be much missed, Vera

Steve Havers

Founder

Straight from leaving The University of Bristol back in 1994 I began working in-house at the BBC on well-known shows including That’s Life, the Esther chat show, Noel’s House

Party and All Rise for Julian Clary. In 1997 I left the beeb to work at indies Prospect Pictures, Planet 24 and September Films on shows including Pet Power, Fame & Fortune and The Big Breakfast. Mark & I worked together at Prospect and Planet and our future working partnership was forged. We set up award-winning format house Mast Media in 1999, successfully writing and selling formats to broadcasters around the world (including global hit prime-time game show Oblivious) until we were bought out by Zodiak and eventually exited in 2013. Older & wiser (or so we thought) and backed by private investors, we decided to set up Spark Media Partners as a full production company in 2014. Notable successes at Spark include Escape the the Chateau, Ancient Civilisations By Train with Alice Roberts and Channel 4 hit series Chateau DIY – now into its 7th series. As a lifelong West Ham fan however, my Spark high-point so far has undoubtedly been making Iron Men, the multi-award-winning feature doc that tells the story of the club’s move from their spiritual home of Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium in 2016.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE – short-lived BBC1 sunshine soap, Eldorado

Joff

Chief Creative Officer

I’ve been fortunate to work across all genres of television in a career spanning over 2 decades which has seen me running genre departments for some of the UK’s biggest

independent productions companies and on the other side of the fence commissioning shows for the UK and international market.

As an Exec Producer I have created and delivered (some award-winning) shows including, The Food Hospital for Channel 4, Playing It Straight for E4, BBCThree comedy World Series of Dating, AOL’s first UK digital series, Powershift with Hollywood actor Sophie Turner and Katie Piper’s Extraordinary Births for Channel 4.

As a Commissioner, I’ve ushered in shows such as Astronauts: Do you have what it takes? (BBC2), Red Bull X-Fighters (Dave), Joel and Nish Vs The World (Comedy Central), Worlds Most Expensive Cars (Channel 4) and quiz series Scream If you Know The Answer (Watch).

I joined Mark, Steve and Helen in 2019 to lead the creative for Spark and to build on the impressive foundations they had laid. In 2020 I set up our regional arm of the company, Spark Media North where we produced C4 daytime series, Tool Club and our primetime VR quiz pilot, The Tower. I have been the Executive Producer of over 130 episodes of Chateau DIY and created and delivered brand extensions of the format, Chateau DIY at Christmas (3 series) and Chateau DIY: Living the Dream for More4. I have also overseen 2 short films for the Princess Trust and our first branded Entertainment film for Channel 4.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE – Ru Paul’s Drag Race (I’m still heartbroken that I left BBCThree before it was commissioned)

Helen

Head of Production

I started my TV career at London Studios back in 1995 where I was introduced to the world of entertainment working on shows including Blind Date, Have I got News

for You and David Letterman’s London Chat Show. I then moved to Hat Trick Productions as their audience co-ordinator and worked my way up to Production Manager working for numerous indies including OSF, Renegade Pictures, Mentorn Barraclough Carey and Wall to Wall.

In 2004 I set up Kew Films, an international crewing company and then in 2009, Nylon Films – a boutique corporate production company. In 2015 I was introduced to Spark Media by Paul Crompton (who I have worked with on and off for over 20 years) and started working for them part time as PM on the first series of ‘Escape to the Chateau’. I quickly persuaded Mark and Steve that I should be their Head of Production and the rest is history! There is nowhere else I would rather be and am so proud of what we have achieved over the last 10 years.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE: Milf Manor

Development Team

Paul

Executive Producer

I started as an apprentice in nuclear engineering aged 16, sheet metal work, welding etc. On weekends I made short films

and was in a band. My first job in TV was at Granada, in the canteen doing dishes. When Tony Wilson was there I’d hand him a demo cassette. I went on to supervise bands in the TV studios and at one point ended up presenting a TV report.

Nowadays I love making observational documentaries. Working inside networks I have been a commissioner Sky1 and ITV and I was an Exec for the commissioning team at C5.

I have been involved in channel launches: Granada TV’s digital channels and BBC Arena. And I had an indie called Barge Pole, co-owned with actor Timothy Spall.

In 2014 I teamed up with Spark Media and created the award winning hit series Escape to the Chateau and its spin-off Chateau DIY.

Four documentaries have picked up multiple film festival awards; I made the BAFTA-nominated BBC series, Timothy Spall: Somewhere at Sea and I currently make a Channel 4 history/travelogue series with Alice Roberts.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE: I am addicted to the post office inquiry on Youtube and I watch The Wire, all 5 seasons, over and over again.

Leon

Director of Development

Working at northern powerhouse Granada TV I cut my teeth on entertainment classics You’ve Been Framed, The Mrs Merton Show

and Stars in Their Eyes before pivoting into development with shows like Reborn in the USA, Pop Stars the Rivals and Brainiac: Science Abuse. As co-creator and SP of five series of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway I’m proud to say I penned the immortal catchphrase “don’t just watch the ads, win them!” Taking the reins as Head of Entertainment at Hat Trick Productions I created and EP’d shows for amongst others Davina McCall, Anne Robinson and Joe Rogan with CBS’s Game Show in My Head! After a stint at Shine TV I moved to Executive Editor of BBC in-house Entertainment, bringing bowling inspired quiz The Edge to daytime, gymnastics to Saturday nights with Let’s Get Ready to Tumble, and taking Dermot O’Leary whacky racing with Top Gear’s The Getaway Car.

Whilst running development for Warner Bros’ Renegade Pictures I created and EP’d 3 series of Outsiders with David Mitchell for UKTV Dave..

GUILTY TV PLEASURE – AntsCanada YouTube Channel & Ready Steady Cook (the Fern Britton years 1994-2000).

Heather

Development Producer

I have worked in development for 15 years and my credits span all genres from The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge (More 4), 48

Hours to Victory with Dermot O’Leary (C4), The Real Derry with Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (C4), That Winning Feeling (SKY Kids) Missing Millions: Grace Kelly (C5), Farm to Feast ( BBCNI) Barbershop for Bald Men (BBC3), Pretty Single (BBCNI), Gino D’Acampo’s Italian Escapes (ITV), Little British Isles with Alison Steadman (C4), Frontline Police (5), Britain’s Darkest Taboos (C&I), The Genealogy Roadshow (RTE/PBS) to All New Super Scary Plane Landings (C5). I also developed the UK version of Dance Mums (Lifetime) and worked on series 1 as the Story Producer. Prior to working in the glamorous world of telly, I spent 8 years as a magazine editor on sport, fitness and interior design magazines.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE – AIRPORT SECURITY

Theo

Development Producer

2024 marks my 10th anniversary working in TV and so far. I have enjoyed a broad and varied role across multiple productions and

development. It all started for me on a popular Channel 4 daytime series, Posh Pawnbrokers which I continued working on for three series.

As a typical TV freelancer, I have worked for different production companies in an assortment of roles. Early on in my career, I enjoyed shooting roles on shows like Channel 5’s Stripdate and development projects for TwoFour. Following this I moved into casting and forward planning roles on shows such as My Secret Sex Fantasy and The Yorkshire Vet. With a keen thirst to try my hand across all editorial opportunities, I soon found myself in the edit working on programmes such as BBC’s The Wedding Dress Shop before returning to casting and welfare roles on series including, Channel 4’s Naked Attraction, Netflix’s The Circle (USA & UK), Channel 4’s The Bridge, BBC’s Reunion Hotel and large studio-based music shows such as ITV’s Starstruck and BBC Three’s Project Icon.

After years on the road story producing and casting, I wanted to return to development with a decade of experience to shape the next big formats in TV.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE – THE REAL HOUSEWIVES (ALL!)

Kaltun

Development Assistant Producer

I’m a development AP who loves all things telly & that’s how I came into the industry! Ever since making the move from Liverpool down

to London to pursue a TV career seven years ago, I’ve built up a track record in developing compelling Factual and Factual-Entertainment programming. I’ve worked with prestigious broadcasters and production companies and developed shows such as prime-time hits like Gordon Ramsay’s Bank Balance, female-led travel series Trailblazers and dynamic food-competition series Next Level Chef.

As a 2022 Ones to Watch delegate, I’ve been recognised for my potential and dedication in the television industry. I’m also passionate about diversity in the industry and subsequently launched the diversity scheme at Studio Ramsay to bring fresh new voices into TV — something I’m always looking to build on.

GUILTY TV PLEASURE: LOVE ISLAND

Corporate Team

Andrew

Business Affairs Advisor

I started as a solicitor in the City but escaped quite quickly to become legal adviser to ATV Music, owner of the Beatles music publishing

rights.

I was responsible for all ITV’s major sports contracts in the early 80’s, sometimes flying Concorde to New York to wrestle boxing rights from Don King. I joined Channel 4 in 1986, ultimately becoming its Head of Business Affairs and Programme Finance.

After leaving Channel 4 I worked in the Independent Production sector: as Commercial Director of Sunset and Vine and Mentorn; as MD of Gecko Productions; as MD of Love Productions and Acting MD of the Garden Productions.

Now I work as a consultant commercial adviser to production companies. I have been having fun working with Spark Media since its early days.

Anastasia

Finance Director

I joined Spark Media Partners at its inception, playing a key role in the funding round, and now serve as a Board member with overall

responsibility for the company’s financial strategy and all finance-related matters.

With over 15 years of experience in the TV industry, I have held various Finance Director positions with independent TV production companies, overseeing their journeys from inception to successful exits through acquisitions. My expertise spans factual, scripted, and animated content, as well as launching an internet channel in the early 2000s.

Prior to my work in television, I held senior roles in the software and oil & gas sectors, having started my career in banking and stockbroking.

In addition to my work with Spark Media Partners, I also serve as a financial controller for several films and TV drama series.

I am a qualified accountant and a member of the ACCA.

Jamie

Chairman

As the leading non executive director I aim to encourage a rigorous and constructive approach to leadership and management,

taking prudent financial decisions with a balanced approach to risk. This has been informed through a career running businesses in institutional investment in banks and hedge funds. Since 2012 I have focused on building early stage companies into successful enterprises. I have worked with Spark Media since its inception, helping with key strategic decisions such as the establishment of Kindling Media, and ongoing business direction.

Alongside Spark, I held similar media roles as Chair of Like a Shot Entertainment (Forbidden History, Abandoned Engineering, Fight Club) and I am current Chair of Radiant Post Production Group. I am an active investor in the companies I have a role in.

I also invest in public market equity and fixed income, and own a property development company. Earlier in my career I acted as a Board Director of Nomura Bank International. I hold an Economics degree (BA 1st cl. hons) from Exeter University.

Sean Wheatley

International Distribution Consultant

Sean Wheatley is a seasoned distribution consultant, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in the TV industry. With senior

roles at Passion Distribution and Fremantle, Sean specialises in international content strategy, distribution and finding new ways of funding TV shows.