Five replaces digital chief after less than six months

Channel Five has appointed Hannah Barnes as director of digital channels. She replaces Nick Thorogood, who has been in the role for less than six months.

Barnes, currently managing editor of Sky One, Two and Three, has been installed as director of programming for the broadcaster’s digital channels Five Life and Five US. She joined Sky in May last year and was previously deputy channel controller of Living TV at Flextech.

Thorogood will move to Five’s commissioning team to work "across a number of different projects". A former head of ITV daytime, he joined the channel in August last year to spearhead the launch of its new digital channels.

Five’s managing director for content, Lisa Opie, says Barnes’ impressive track record in the digital marketplace, along with her creativity, will be a "tremendous asset" to Five in helping it to run its multi-channel operation.