Hot Sauce Pictures, which was launched last year by Salisbury Poisonings pair Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, has poached drama commissioner Helen Ziegler from ITV as its first major hire.She joins the Belfast-based company as Creative Director and we are told more hires are incoming soon.At ITV, Ziegler has been overseeing and commissioning a number of high-profile projects including the adaptation of Tom Bradby’s book Secret Service, Left Bank’s show about notorious murderer Jane Andrews and Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker’s new heist series Frauds. She will continue overseeing these shows until joining Hot Sauce later this year. She was previously Director of Television at World on Fire maker Mammoth Screen.Lawn and Patterson said Ziegler “has it all,” citing her “ambition, expertise, and a sensibility that chimes so closely with our own.” “We’re equally inspired and humbled that she’s going to be such a big part of the Hot Sauce journey over the coming years,” they added. “Our creative partnership is now triangle-shaped, and we couldn’t be more excited.”ITV drama boss Polly Hill said she had “loved working with” Ziegler but “I know her heart is in production.” Ziegler added in turn: “I have loved and valued my time at ITV and feel very lucky to have worked with Polly Hill and Kevin Lygo at such an iconic broadcaster. I’m now thrilled to take this next step as Creative Director – Declan and Adam are a truly creative force and the chance to build Hot Sauce with them is unmissable.”Having previously made shows for different production companies, Lawn and Patterson initially intended Hot Sauce as a logo for their creative partnership but turned it into a fully-fledged indie late last year with majority backing from SPT. The duo, who met whilst working on the BBC’s Panorama, have been behind BBC double The Salisbury Poisonings and Blue Lights along with James Norton movie Rogue Agent. SPT also owns Bad Wolf, Left Bank and Sex Education producer Eleven.
© 2025 Deadline.