Kevin Lygo

Kevin Lygo (born 19 September 1957) is a British television executive, currently Director of Television at ITV.

Early life

Lygo is the son of Royal Navy officer Raymond Lygo. Educated at Cranbrook School, Kent, Lygo studied Psychology at Durham University, graduating in 1980. After leaving university in 1980 one of his first jobs was at the Half-Price Theatre Ticket Booth in Leicester Square, operated by the Society of West End Theatre.

Career

After August 1981, he was one of three trainees to join the BBC, alongside Peter Salmon (former BBC head of sport) and multi-award-winning film-maker Peter Kosminsky.

Hired in 1997 by Channel 4, Lygo was Channel 4's Head of Entertainment between 1998 and 2001, where he commissioned TFI Friday, Smack the Pony, So Graham Norton, Trigger Happy TV and Spaced. After spending two years at Five on its launch, he returned to Channel 4 in 2003 as Director of Television and Content.

In June 2023, Lygo appeared before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee as a witness in support of his colleague Carolyn McCall. Committee member Caroline Dinenage interrogated McCall about the culture at ITV.

In November 2023, Lygo attended an ITV promotional event during which he allegedly mocked politician and broadcaster Nigel Farage. ITV signed Farage to appear in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! for a reported fee of up to £1.5 million. Lygo was seen using a rude one-handed gesture. Farage finished third on his exit from the jungle, and issued a stern warning regarding Lygo's comments. He reminded the ITV boss of the repercussions that befell the former boss of NatWest, Alison Rose, who was forced to resign after discussing private banking information with a BBC journalist.