TV3 appoints Lynda McQuaid as director of content

TV3 Group has appointed Lynda McQuaid as director of content from April. From Dundalk, she is one of Ireland's most experienced producers, with a CV that includes entertainment shows such as The Apprentice (for TV3), MasterChef (RTÉ) and The Voice of Ireland.

During her time as head of development at production company Screentime ShinAwiL, Ms McQuaid also devised the format for the series You're A Star.

After a period as an award-winning freelance producer and director, she most recently worked as an executive producer at CBBC in Salford in the UK, and with Communicorp in Dublin.

From Dundalk, her career began in Granada Television's entertainment division where she worked on programmes such as Stars in Their Eyes, You've Been Framed! and This Morning.

She subsequently joined the BBC in 1997 and produced then unknown Peter Kay on The Sunday Show and then had another stint at Granada as launch producer for the newly formed ITV2.

Ms McQuaid replaces Jeff Ford, who is leaving TV3 in April to return to his native UK. The position of director of content is a critical one for the broadcaster, with Ms McQuaid overseeing all of TV3 and 3e's commissioning and programme acquisitions.

“I have long wanted to bring Lynda into TV3 as one of Ireland’s most creative TV producers,” said TV3 chief executive David McRedmond. Her experience tallies with TV3’s “We Entertain” brand, he added.

Ms McQuaid said she was delighted to be joining TV3 “at the most exciting time in its short history” and that she looked forward to developing the group beyond its current channel line-up and launching new hit shows in the years’ ahead.