Wednesday 29 October 2025
12:30
Jay Hunt OBE
The future of film, television, streaming, and challenges of regulation in the age of AI
We couldn’t be more delighted to be hosting Jay, one of the the most influential, respected and powerful executives in television, in addition to her roles as Chair of the BFI and Chair of The Hay Festival.
Jay has been Apple TV+’s Creative Director, Europe since 2018. There, she has commissioned multiple hit shows from BAFTA winning Bad Sisters to Slow Horses, Hijack to Prehistoric Planet, Criminal Record to Trying. Before Apple, she was Chief Creative Officer at Channel 4, Director of Programmes at Channel 5 and served as Controller of BBC One. Jay is the only person to have led three terrestrial PSB channels, commissioning global hits including Sherlock, Luther, Black Mirror, Catastrophe, Derry Girls, Gogglebox, Hunted and First Dates. In 2024 she was listed by the Hollywood Reporter as one of The Most Powerful Women in International TV and was also included in the Variety Top 500 Business Leaders. She served as a Governor at the BFI for four years before becoming Chair in 2024. She is also the Chair of The Hay Festival. Jay started her career in broadcast journalism working on Newsnight and Panorama before becoming Editor of both the BBC One o’clock and Six o’clock News.
Apple TV+’s Creative Director, Chair of the BFI, Chair of The Hay Festival
Jay has been Apple TV+’s Creative Director, Europe since 2018. There, she has commissioned multiple hit shows from BAFTA winning Bad Sisters to Slow Horses, Hijack to Prehistoric Planet, Criminal Record to Trying. Before Apple, she was Chief Creative Officer at Channel 4, Director of Programmes at Channel 5 and served as Controller of BBC One. Jay is the only person to have led three terrestrial PSB channels, commissioning global hits including Sherlock, Luther, Black Mirror, Catastrophe, Derry Girls, Gogglebox, Hunted and First Dates. In 2024 she was listed by the Hollywood Reporter as one of The Most Powerful Women in International TV and was also included in the Variety Top 500 Business Leaders. She served as a Governor at the BFI for four years before becoming Chair in 2024. She is also the Chair of The Hay Festival. Jay started her career in broadcast journalism working on Newsnight and Panorama before becoming Editor of both the BBC One o’clock and Six o’clock News.