Thames TV’s head of entertainment Suzy Lamb is to join BBC Studios as Genre Director, Entertainment & Music, overseeing shows including Strictly Come Dancing, A Question of Sport and Later with…..Jools Holland.

She will run the creative, commercial, and operational strategy of the business, and will sit on the BBC Studios’ Executive Committee.

Her appointment comes after BBC Studios boss Mark Linsey announced in July that its Entertainment department would be split into two divisions. Last month,  Boundless md Hannah Wyatt was appointed to run the Factual Entertainment & Events division.

Linsey said: “Suzy Lamb is an award-winning, class act whose experience and expertise in the field of entertainment and music production is incredibly impressive. I am beyond thrilled that she is coming over to BBC Studios to run our Entertainment & Music production division.”

News of Lamb’s departure from Thames comes just weeks after Talkback and Thames were rejoined into a single entertainment label as part of a restructure by Liam Humphreys, CEO FremantleMedia UK Unscripted.

Lamb said: “The BBC has a very special place in my heart. To be returning after 11 years in the independent sector to be part of BBC Studios’ future, making world class Entertainment and Music shows is hugely exciting. I am looking forward to working with the teams to build on the success of the existing brands and also to create some fantastic new ones.”

Lamb joined talkbackThames in 2008 and became Head of Entertainment in 2010. She launched Take Me Out (ITV) and is currently overseeing the tenth series. She also co-created and developed its spin off show Take Me Out: The Gossip (ITV2) and has executive produced all six series. She has been responsible for reviving the forthcoming Christmas special of The Price Is Right with Alan Carr for Channel 4 and in 2016 revived Blankety Blank with David Walliams for ITV. She also oversaw two series of Rebound (ITV Daytime).

She has previously executive produced 11 series of All Star Family Fortunes, the sporting series Let’s Get Gold, game show Bang On The Money and the music special The ABBA Christmas Party, all for ITV.

For BBC One, she executive produced I’d Do Anything, Any Dream Will Do and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? She also spent two years as show runner on NBC shows Clash Of The Choirs (BBC Worldwide), Phenomenon, (Granada America), and Grease: You’re The One That I Want (BBC Worldwide ).

She began her career as a production secretary at the BBC working on classic entertainment shows including Top Of The Pops, Wogan, The Royal Variety Performance, Comic Relief, Russ Abbot, The Les Dennis Laughter Show, The Paul Daniels Magic Show and the The Mary Whitehouse Experience.

She moved on to become a researcher on programmes including Big Break, The National Lottery Big Ticket, Jim Davidson’s Generation Game, Bruce Forsyth’s Generation Game and Noel’s House Party before becoming an assistant producer on shows including The Royal Variety Performance, Dale’s All Stars, Two Ronnies’ Theme Night and both the BAFTA TV and Film Awards.

Suzy the became series producer and series editor on entertainment shows including The X Factor: Battle Of The Stars, The Chair with John McEnroe, The National Lottery Stars, Strictly Dance Fever, TV Moments With Jonathan Ross and launched The National Lottery Jet Set.

Staff Reporter

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