Meet the Team
Sharon whittaker
Co-Founder
Sharon makes access-driven, character-led documentaries that explore challenging subjects and uncover untold perspectives.
Before founding Yolk, Sharon produced documentaries and returnable series for UK broadcasters at Belfast-based DoubleBand Films. Prior to this, she worked in youth justice, children’s rights and with care-experienced young people, experience that continues to shape the stories she pursues.
She oversees projects from development through delivery, guiding contributors, shaping narratives and ensuring editorial rigour at every step. Her documentaries are precise and rooted in real experiences. Committed to building Yolk as a collaborative and diverse space for filmmakers in Northern Ireland, she is keen to nurture emerging talent and champion socially resonant storytelling.
Sharon was part of the 2026 Women in Film and TV’s Four Nations Mentoring Programme, supported by Netflix, and was mentored by Georgia Moseley, Head of The Documentary Unit, BBC Studios.
ben o’loan
Co-Founder
Ben O’Loan is a series director who makes films about complex and sensitive subjects, often involving difficult or unexpected access.
A self-shooting director, Ben brings a strong visual sensibility to Yolk’s films, from intimate contributor interviews to the wider visual language of a series. His approach is naturalistic and character-led, with a focus on creating the space for people and stories to reveal themselves.
Before co-founding Yolk with Sharon Whittaker, Ben spent several years at Belfast-based DoubleBand Films, where the two built a close working relationship across a wide range of factual projects for BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC NI.
At Yolk, his credits include Born in Belfast: A Hip Hop Story for BBC NI, which tells the unlikely story of how hip hop took root in Northern Ireland through archive, live performance and candid interviews.
KATIE APPelBE
Producer
Katie has joined Yolk as a producer on our three-part series for BBC, through the ScreenSkills Make a Move initiative.
She brings a background in investigative and current affairs filmmaking, having worked as a self-shooting AP across BAFTA and RTS-nominated productions including Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel's War for ITV Exposure. She has particular experience in archive sourcing and clearance, undercover filming and contributor casting on sensitive projects.
Katie is drawn to investigations and enjoys the research, the detail and piecing together a story from the ground up. Away from production, she has a keen interest in development and the early process of finding and shaping new ideas.
Cate Cheung-McMULLAN
Assistant Producer
Cate is an assistant producer working across research, development and production. She joined Yolk Films through the ScreenSkills Make a Move initiative, gaining hands-on experience across editorial research, contributor coordination and post-production.
Before joining Yolk, Cate worked as a researcher on factual programmes including Farm 999 (BBC One) for Stellify Media and Sunday Morning Live (BBC One) for Tern TV. Her work has involved shaping story research, finding compelling contributors and archive, and supporting productions through filming and post-production.
Alongside her television work, Cate has written and directed human-interest short documentaries, including 'There’s No Drugs in Animal Crossing' and '公公', which have been screened at Docs Ireland and other festivals.
duncan nichol
Production Executive
Duncan brings over 20 years of experience in television, including 13 years as a Broadcast TV Production Manager. He has overseen complex live productions such as Most Haunted Live (Living) and City Hospital (BBC), which laid the groundwork for technically ambitious projects including Embarrassing Bodies: Live from the Clinic (Channel 4) and the award-winning location-based game show Wild Things (Sky One).
His work spans a wide range of factual genres, from hard-hitting documentaries like The Hunt for Britain’s Sex Traffickers (Channel 4) to archive-driven entertainment series such as Rude Tube, giving him a thorough understanding of compliance, legal frameworks, and contributor care. Duncan’s combination of technical expertise, editorial oversight, and hands-on production experience ensures projects run smoothly from development to delivery, no matter how challenging the production.
Outside of production, he is known for his calm, problem-solving approach under pressure and a practical focus on making complex projects look effortless on screen.