EXCLUSIVE: The end of an era is approaching at 5, the UK television network that sits within David Ellison’s newly minted Skydance empire.
Deadline can reveal that Ben Frow will step down as Paramount UK’s chief content officer next year, a role in which he has overseen 5 (formerly Channel 5) for 14 years.
A charismatic creative executive, Frow is comfortably 5’s longest-serving content chief, joining in 2012, when British media baron Richard Desmond owned the network.
Frow has decided to leave on his own terms, but his anticipated exit comes just a week after Paramount completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, creating the Skydance empire and precipitating a major executive reshuffle.
Kevin MacLellan, the Paramount international chief who oversaw 5, is exiting the business, as is his Warner Bros. Discovery counterpart Gerhard Zeiler. JB Perrette, one of the big winners of the $110 billion merger, will take on streaming and networks outside of the U.S., with CBS chief operating officer Bryon Rubin put in temporary charge of 5 and Australia’s Network Ten.
In an internal email seen by Deadline, 5 president Reemah Sakaan said Frow would step down from his day-to-day role in the summer of 2027. He will remain employed by Skydance until the end of next year.
“His exceptional creative skills, obsession with our audience and fiery competitive spirit has led an acclaimed creative transformation of the network and has overseen a phenomenal range of hits,” Sakaan said. “I have only worked with Ben for a short while this year, but it has been an utter joy, so I have some sense of just how much he will be missed.”
In the internal email, Frow added: “I have always said that this was the best job in the world, and I’ve absolutely loved my time at 5. But after 14 years where I’ve achieved everything I wanted to and more, it seems like the right time to hand over and give someone else a go. This isn’t a goodbye just yet and I’ll be around to support Reemah and the team with a smooth transition.”
During his tenure, Frow has revitalized 5, transforming it from a broadcaster that was largely associated with overseas acquisitions like CSI to become a fleet-footed and risk-taking creative force.
Frow’s legacy will perhaps be defined by his decision to cancel Big Brother in 2018. He took the cash from the Banijay-owned reality series and reinvested it into drama and high-end factual content.
This gave rise to one of Frow’s biggest hits: All Creatures Great and Small, the Playground-produced drama based on the early career of veterinary surgeon James Herriot. All Creatures, which is co-produced by PBS Masterpiece, consistently delivers big audiences and was the most-watched scripted series on 5’s streaming platform last year.
Other hit dramas have included Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards and The Teacher. In factual, Frow has welcomed big names to the network like Monty Python star Michael Palin, who has journeyed to North Korea and the Philippines for documentary series.
5 scooped BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards in 2024 for White Nanny, Black Child, while Suicidal: In Our Own Words won a Grierson. The network was named Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2025, and posted a record operating profit of £71.7 million ($95M) in 2021.
Frow has many admirers in the UK television industry. He is respected by producers for his creative instinct and quick decision-making, while he inspires fierce loyalty among his small team of commissioners.
He is an entertaining presence on public platforms: Honest, direct, quick-witted, and unafraid to have a dig at 5’s closest competitors. His mischievous twinkle saw him attend meetings this year wearing a Make Paramount Great Again hat — including during a sit-down with Ellison himself.
On stage at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2023, Frow revealed that he secretly resigned in April 2022 as a result of burnout following the pandemic, saying he felt as if he were being “pecked” alive. He later reversed his decision after his mental health improved.