Tina Flintoff

Joint CEO

Nick Hornby and Tina Flintoff lead the creative and commercial direction of the company and remain closely involved in programme-making.

Nick Hornby

Joint CEO

Nick Hornby and Tina Flintoff lead the creative and commercial direction of the company and remain closely involved in programme-making.

Eliana Capitani

Director of Development and Executive Producer

Eliana Capitani joined Optomen as a Development Executive in September 2016.

Before joining Optomen she held development roles at a number of leading indies including Twenty Twenty Television, Mentorn Media and Studio Lambert. Her production credits include The Secret MillionaireSeven Days and The Fairy Job Mother.

Charlotte Brookes

Head of Popular Factual
Charlotte has over 15 years experience producing Popular Factual and Entertainment Television. She has worked on major formats including The Voice, The Apprentice and Strictly Come Dancing. At Optomen Charlotte has overseen some of their biggest shows, from Crazy Delicious for Netflix to Sort Your Life Out and Crafty Christmas for BBC One, and Getting Filthy Rich for ITV. At work, Charlotte is happiest running a large team making sure she can be heard over everyone’s headsets. At home, Charlotte is happiest running her somewhat smaller team making sure she can be heard over Peppa Pig.

Alice Taylor

Development Executive

Alice joined Optomen as a Development Producer in 2022 and has helped develop Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich series 2, and Perfect Body for ITVX.

Prior to joining us, she worked at a number of leading indies spanning Factual Entertainment and Premium Docs, including Voltage TV, Pulse Films and Naked, where she helped develop Alan and Amanda: The Italian Job (BBC), Absolutely Dyer: Danny and Dani Do Italy (E4), Hip Hop Treasures with LL Cool J and Ice T (A&E), Hair Power: Me and My Afro (C4), and 21 Again (BBC Three).

Alice is from Liverpool and loves scousers, travelling with her partner James and Optomen parties.

Mike Pipkin

Editor & Graphic Designer

Michael joined Optomen in 2003 to run their newly formed offline edit suites. Over the years he has edited for various productions including Man Made HomeEmployable Me, and What Would Be Your Miracle? and has also provided graphics for a variety of Optomen shows including Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch, Heston’s Feasts and Escape to the Wild. He also contributes graphics and editing for the Optomen development team.

Verity Sutton Barrow

Director of Production and Operations

As Director of Production and Operations Verity is responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the company and all production output. Since 2007 She has held Head of Production roles at betty, Victory and Leopard and Production Executive roles at Shine and ITV Studios. Prior to joining Optomen she was the senior Production Executive at Objective Media Group managing a portfolio of start-up companies including Studio Ramsay.

 

Emily Brownridge

Production Executive

Emily joined Optomen as Production Manager on the original series of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Mary, Queen of Shops before progressing to Production Executive. She is responsible for production planning, budgeting and negotiating deals with broadcasters, and ensuring smooth running of productions.

Other credits for Optomen include Great British Menu, Kevin McCloud’s Manmade Home, Heston’s Feasts and Undercover Doctor.

Prior to joining Optomen Emily was Production Manager in BBC Specialist Factual, working across landmark series including Auschwitz, Leonardo and the Horizon series.

Caron Miles

Production Executive

Caron joined Optomen in Dec 2021 as a Production Executive and is responsible for the budgeting and scheduling of new & existing projects, as well as overseeing the smooth running of her array of productions. Since joining her credits have included ‘India 1947: Partition in Colour’ , ‘Christine McGuinness: Unmasking My Autism’, a number of the X versus Y series‘ for Discovery + ‘At Home with the Fury’s’ and  ‘Great British Menu’ S19.

Prior to this, Caron had worked for Love Productions on and off for several years working her way up from Junior Production Manager to Head of Production and oversaw most of their output. She also has worked as a PE for Shine TV and Betty.

Before coming into TV Caron used to work as a professional dancer and personal trainer, before moving into event management. In her spare time, Caron loves to travel, keep dancing and socialize with her friends.

Tracey Williams

Production Manager

Tracey joined Optomen in early 2018 as Staff Production Manager. She has worked across a number of productions including Eight Go Rallying: The Road to Saigon (BBC), When I Grow Up (C4), In the Style (BBC 3) and Tyson Fury: The Gypsy King (ITV). She is also responsible for overseeing development projects and the start up of new productions.

During her 12 years in TV, Tracey has gained a variety of experience working across Entertainment, Factual and Shiny Floor programming.

Hannah McLaughlin

Production Coordinator

Hannah has worked at Optomen since 2019 and in that time has made herself indispensable to all.

She has worked across almost all of the most popular series made by Optomen as well as overseeing the near-impossible task of managing Tina’s diary alongside her Production Coordinator roles.

Always the first to suggest Thursday drinks, Hannah is a keen member of the Optomen wine appreciation society and is a central member of the social hub!

No one enters or leaves Optomen without Hannah knowing about it and it’s safe to say, Hannah is to Optomen what the ravens are to the Tower of London.

Jaspreet Lally

Team Assistant

Jaspreet joined Optomen in April 2023 in the Team Assistant role.

Before joining Optomen, she worked for Hungry Bear Media for a year as a office and production runner as well as a personal assistant to the Creative and Managing Director for a short amount of time.

As a team assistant, Jaspreet is responsible for the general administration as well as managing diaries for two joint CEOs.

On her free time, Jaspreet likes to write, socialise with her friends and family and have a hard session at the gym!

Nicola Widdowson

Finance Director

Nicola joined Optomen in May 2022 to oversee all things Finance. She learned her trade in the City and defected to television in 2011 where she discovered her spiritual homeland. During her time in the industry she’s worked across distribution, operational finance, and production, and she loves nothing more than wrangling a giant spreadsheet.

Adilah Rojha

Finance Manager

Adilah who is passionate for the media industry has joined OTV in July 2020 as Finance Manager.

She is responsible for the production of Management Accounts, month end reporting and assisting the Financial Controller.

Adilah has previously worked for Zinc Media and Icon Film where bafta winning films and programs were produced. She is always up for new challenges and endeavour to learn and grow at all time.

Out of work I like to squeeze in for a catnap whenever possible, Cooking and is always ready for a voyage.

Sam Pirie

Management Accountant

Sam joined Optomen in May 2022 in the Management Accountant role. Before joining Optomen he worked at All3Media in the Corporate Head Office securing a full time position after completing a successful placement year in 2019. He loves finance and has a passion for Film & Television. Sam has a number of TV credits to his name including hit dramas White House Farm and Feel Good. He is loving life in the production industry and looks forward to bringing his experience to Optomen Television.

Naima Ahmed

Finance Assistant

Naima has worked in Optomen since February 2023 for All3Media’s management accounts trainee scheme and secured a role as Finance Assistant in January 2024 after a successful, productive year in the Finance team!

Naima is always willing to help and enjoys assisting the Production & Finance team with any queries & ad-hoc tasks.

On her free time, Naima tries to read a book, from her bookshelf that is slowly stacking up, and enjoys a quick session in the gym.

Sarah Eglin

Creative Director of Optomen Birmingham

Sarah joined Optomen in 2018 to set up a regional base in the Midlands. From there, she Exec Produces Great British Menu for BBC2 and made BAFTA nominated Snackmasters for C4. From Manchester, she produced Optomen’s BBC documentary series, Breaking Fashion. She is currently working on the documentary series X vs Y for Discovery Plus which has covered the trials of Johnny Vs Amber, the Wagatha court case, Britney Spears’ legal battles and the divorce of Kim Kardashian from Kanye West, with more in production.

Prior to this, Sarah worked with startup Indies on new commissions and was part of the BAFTA winning team working on Embarrassing Bodies and Live From The Clinic as Executive Producer for C4. She began her career with the BBC and won awards for investigative journalism but her recent proudest moments are designing a professional kitchen and studio for Great British Menu and encouraging Fred Sirieix to say, “wa-fer” with a French accent when recording the voice over for Snackmasters.

Jacob Moore

Production Manager, Birmingham

Jacob joined Optomen in 2018 on Great British Menu when it moved to a new home in the Midlands. He has worked across a range of genres including current affairs, documentary, reality, and factual entertainment. Jacob’s experience also includes international filming, Live TV and outside broadcasts. Alongside GBM, his credits with Optomen also include Snackmasters, Manhunt, Highlife, Richard Hammond’s Crazy Contraptions, Johnny vs Amber, Vardy vs Rooney, Jamie vs Britney and At Home With The Furys.

Verity Amos

Senior Production Coordinator, Birmingham

Verity became part of the Optomen team in 2019 and has worked on Snackmasters, Great British Menu and Sort Your Life Out.

When not at work Verity enjoys exploring walks with her dog Annie, baking and playing tennis.