Clare Handford
stage 2 DEVELOPMENT consultant
Clare’s extensive experience spans production, development and commissioning and ranges from current affairs, factual entertainment, specialist factual and documentaries for British and international television, to feature documentaries for theatrical and festival release.
Having graduated from the highly regarded Film and Photographic Arts course at the University of Westminster, Clare started out in TV as a runner on The Big Breakfast before moving into factual as a researcher on the RTS award-winning current affairs programme, Scott of the Arms Antics. She has since held a wide range of senior roles at prominent British indies such as Nutopia, Tiger Aspect and Talkback Thames, including Producer, Director, Head of Development, Executive Producer and Head of Factual.
As Commissioning Editor for Factual at Sky, she was integral to the launch of a feature documentary strand on Sky Atlantic and ordered several award-winning films including John Dower’s Bradley Wiggins: A Year in Yellow, Nick Broomfield’s Tales of the Grim Sleeper and Jerry Rothwell’s How to Change the World.
Clare also commissioned singles, series and live events for Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Living, including one of Sky 1’s highest ever rating series, Harrow: A Very British School; as well as Alan Cumming’s Urban Secrets, British Cycling: Road to Glory; God Save the Queens, Nelson Mandela: The Struggle Is My Life, Live: Aida and The Royal Ballet’s Metamorphosis.
Among Clare’s other credits are The Apprentice; Ice Town: Life on the Edge; Secret Horse: Quest for the True Appaloosa; Harley Street; Michael Young: Quiet Crusader; Pandamonium and The Power List. Her latest production, Undercover Coppers, which she executive produced, was recently broadcast on Channel 5 and she is also exec producing a feature documentary, Final Ascent, funded by Creative Scotland.
Clare is a Trustee of the Darbar Arts Trust, an Indian classical arts organisation which each year delivers the internationally acclaimed Darbar Festival in London. She is also a regular judge and reviewer for the Grierson Trust’s British Documentary Awards.
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