BBC Head of Comedy Tanya Qureshi is to join the BBC Drama team as Commissioning Editor overseeing a slate of shows including Sally Wainwright’s forthcoming Riot Women and the recently announced Dennis Kelly series Waiting For The Out (w/t).
Qureshi joined BBC Comedy four years ago and has been the commissioner behind titles including Dreaming Whilst Black, The Outlaws, Am I Being Unreasonable?, Amandaland and Ludwig.
She will join Director of Drama Lindsay Salt’s team at the end of May and alongside new dramas she will continue to oversee Ludwig, Amandaland and Can You Keep a Secret?
Prior to joining the BBC, Qureshi was Head of Comedy at Various Artists Limited (VAL) where she served as Associate Producer on Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You and produced the second series of Dead Pixels. She started her career in commissioning at UKTV, primarily focused on scripted comedy across Dave and Gold. She has also worked as a Commissioning Executive at Channel 4 where she commissioned the second series of The Windsors and Flowers.
Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy says: “While I’ll miss Tanya’s brilliance in comedy, I’m thrilled that the BBC will continue to benefit from her creative vision. Comedy at the BBC isn’t just in rude health—it’s positively glowing, thanks in no small part to Tanya’s influence. The drama team is gaining a commissioner who brings humour, heart, and a proven track record of championing distinctive voices.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, says: “Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, says: “Echoing Jon’s sentiments, the drama industry is very lucky to gain such a talent. Smart, creative and all about supporting dynamic and original work, we’re thrilled Tanya will continue to flourish within the BBC.”
Tanya Qureshi adds: “It’s been an incredible privilege to be part of BBC Comedy and work with such brilliant talent, both on and off screen, creating some of the biggest comedies in recent years. But I’m thrilled to be joining Lindsay and rest of the drama commissioning team at a time when the quality and breadth of the BBC’s output continues to set the standard for British television. Drama has always been a passion of mine, and I’m excited to help shape bold, ambitious stories that resonate with audiences across the UK.”
Jon Creamer
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