Television producer Jonathan Levi has been appointed head of ITV Studios' arts and popular culture division.

The 32-year-old was previously executive producer of the South Bank Show, and worked with broadcaster Melvyn Bragg for 12 years. Mr Levi is responsible for commissioning a variety of shows, some youth-oriented and others more high-brow.

He is currently working with Andrew Lloyd Webber on a new arts show about the Pre-Raphaelites for ITV1. He is also responsible for the ITV2 hit Fearne and…, a documentary series which features television presenter Fearne Cotton as she shadows a selection of celebrities.

Mr Levi tells People: "ITV is in a really good place at the moment. We have a brilliant management team and some top new signings." Based in London, he began his career at BBC Radio 4 as a researcher aged 20. He then became a producer for Jeremy Paxman and Melvyn Bragg before joining LWT in 2001 to produce a series of discussion programmes for Channel 4 called The Big Idea.

He joined the South Bank team in 2003 and has since directed some of its highest rated shows in recent years, on subjects including Pixar and Aardman. He was also executive producer of the show's last three awards programmes.