Mr Daniel Twist

Lecturer In Creative Industries, Media

dan.twist@open.ac.uk

Biography

Biography

I joined The Open University in 2025, bringing with me over two decades of experience in the television industry as a TV Producer and Development Executive. During this time, I created, developed, and produced series across a wide range of genres for major broadcasters including BBC, ITV, STV, Channel 4, and Channel 5. Several of these formats have also been sold successfully to international markets.

Following this, I became a Lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland and the University of Stirling, specialising in factual formats, multiplatform content, digital media, and podcasting.

I am proud to have been recognised with industry awards, including a BAFTA Scotland Award for producing the BBC entertainment series Armchair Detectives and an RTS Scotland Award for The TV That Made Me, a BBC One celebrity archive series.

Alongside production, I have contributed to shaping the wider industry. As Nations and Regions Channel Executive for Channel 4, I worked closely with independent production companies to support commissioning relationships and secure funding opportunities.

In 2025, I was honoured to be appointed Chair of the Royal Television Society Scotland, where I collaborate with production companies and organisations to deliver educational events for media professionals at every stage of their careers.

My teaching is firmly rooted in industry practice. I design and deliver modules that integrate both theory and hands-on skills, with the goal of preparing students to thrive in the fast-changing world of digital and multiplatform media.

In 2025, I was invited to Manhattan University in New York to deliver a paper on TV and streaming in global markets, an experience that sparked valuable discussions on the international future of formats.

Research Interests