BBC Studios is splitting out its Entertainment, Music and Events arm in to two and will hire two new leaders to run the new wings.
The new Entertainment and Music arm will include entertainment formats like Strictly Come Dancing, quizzes like A Question of Sport and The Boss and music programming and documentaries like Later… with Jools Holland, David Bowie: The Last 5 Years and Glastonbury.
Factual Entertainment and Events, will deliver factual entertainment content like Top Gear, Amazing Hotels, The Life Swap Adventure, The World According to Kids and events like Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph.
This new structure means BBC Studios is looking for two new creative leaders with entrepreneurial skills who have “managing director experience and a strong track record of delivering commercial success in a creative and competitive environment.” The two new roles will report into the Director of BBC Studios.
BBC Studios has also introduced the new role of Director of Business Affairs. Roger Leatham, the current Director of Entertainment, Music and Events, will take on this new role from mid-August.
Mark Linsey, Director of BBC Studios says: “Roger has made a significant and valuable contribution to BBC Studios in the last year, helping redesign and reshape this part of the business and overseeing much creative success onscreen, including Strictly Come Dancing’s strongest performance to date, award wins for programmes like the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance 2016 and Later with…Jools Holland and powerful and complex broadcasts such as One Love Manchester, which was turned around in 5 days. We are delighted Roger has agreed to lead BBC Studios’ Business Affairs strategy and we look forward to welcoming two new creative entrepreneurs to lead these important areas for our business.”
Roger Leatham says: “Following discussions with Mark, we both identified the need to make some radical changes across Entertainment, Music and Events to give it the best possible chance of success going forward. I am very pleased to be taking on the new role of Director of Business Affairs across all of BBC Studios’ output, leading on our deal making and talent strategy and relationships”.
The recruitment process for the two new Director positions will begin shortly.
Jon Creamer
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