Edinburgh TV Festival Unveils 2023 Advisory Chair

Edinburgh TV Festival has unveiled Channel 4 strategy boss Kiran Nataraja as its 2023 Advisory Chair.

Nataraja, who is the broadcaster's Director of Content Strategy and Planning, will oversee panel sessions and keynotes for the annual festival that has been extended to four days this year. It will run from August 22 to 25 and theme is The Passion and The Power of TV.

Nataraja joined the Gogglebox broadcaster in 2011 and has since worked her way up to running the planning and scheduling teams while shaping commissioning strategy across the Channel 4 portfolio, including VoD player All4.

"For as long as I can remember, I've been obsessed with TV," said Nataraja.

"I was endlessly fascinated by different worlds and voices on screen. I'm honored to take on this role so we can explore the passion and responsibility we all share for creating powerful shows that can bring positive change to a viewer."

Edinburgh Executive Chair Fatima Salaria called her an "influential and hands-on figure."

"Kiran, and people like her, are the heartbeat of the industry," she added. "What she doesn't know about our shows and the way the audiences react to them isn't worth knowing."

Last year's edition of the annual TV get together was chaired by broadcaster and journalist Afua Hirsch and was the first to take place in person since 2019.