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EXCLUSIVE: Richard Bacon‘s Yes Yes Media has headed on a senior hiring spree, bringing in former The X Factor showrunner Mark Sidaway and Hidden Light production boss Lydia Arding.
The indie launched six months ago, backed by an eclectic mix including Chernobyl producer Sister, Friends star Courtney Cox, French production house Satisfaction and the lead singer of Snow Patrol. It aims to create TV shows and podcasts and plans to develop proprietary hardware and software to allow viewers to interact with formats on multiple devices.
Sidaway becomes Head of Entertainment and Arding takes on the Director of Production post. Working closely with Bacon, Sidaway will build out the company’s entertainment department, while Arding will oversee all financial and operational activity for the business and drive strategy across the production slate.
Sidaway is a storied unscripted vet who most recently showran The Coronation Concert and the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace in 2021. He held the top production job on ITV’s The X Factor for a number of years, shepherding the juggernaut through the previous decade, working closely with creator Simon Cowell.
Arding joins from Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s Hidden light, where she worked across shows for Apple TV+ and Channel 4. Prior to that she was Head of Factual Production at Starstruck producer-agency Avalon, managing all output across TV and audio.
The senior hires lay down a marker for the former Blue Peter and This is My House creator Bacon’s Yes Yes. Sister, the producer behind Chernobyl and Giri/Haji, has taken a “significant stake” in the business, while Satisfaction will also have a “significant” stake and has signed an agreement with Bacon to co-develop formats for local and global buyers, both of which was revealed at launch in April.
“Mark is a huge talent and has vast experience across the entertainment world – specifically large-scale productions and talent shows – which are a big area for us,” said Bacon. “I am delighted to work so closely with him across our many projects. Equally, Lydia brings a great mix of production experience and strategic thinking to our television and tech ideas.”
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