The Channel 4 Interview: Stephen Lambert

The Channel 4 Interviewee for 2006 is Stephen Lambert, one of the iconic figures of modern British documentary - a lightning rod for praise and criticism alike. Few figures elicit such strong reactions. For some, he represents the selling of the soul of documentary to business. For others, he is the most inventive and creative figure working in documentaries over the past fifteen years. After Wife Swap first aired The Guardian wondered whether the ITC should simply switch off the Channel 4 transmitter and The Telegraph called it an "abuse of TV's Godlike power". At the same time his work has been lauded both in Britain and abroad "as truly groundbreaking" and showered with awards. Today Stephen Lambert is the Chief Creative Officer of the RDF Media Group where he has been responsible for Faking It and Wife Swap among many others. Before joining RDF, documentaries department, where he produced and directed many films for 40 Minutes and the Inside Story strand. He then became the Modern Times documentary strand, which he ran for four years. What cannot be denied is his central influence on the shape of the modern documentary on television - an influence which the Channel 4 interview will provide a unique opportunity to explore.