BBC Studios is to merge Entertainment & Music, Factual Entertainment & Events and International Productions & Formats and is fully integrating its worldwide network of production bases to create a new ‘Global Entertainment’ business that will offer a single face to the market.
Global Entertainment will also house the company’s invested indies Mothership Productions and Mettlemouse Entertainment and continue to work closely with indie partners including Magnum Media, Final Straw Productions, Rebel Rebel Pictures and Hungry Bear Media.
The new business will be led by Matt Forde who will assume the role of Managing Director, Global Entertainment. Forde is currently MD for International Productions and Formats and will retain this responsibility. Hannah Wyatt and Suzy Lamb will continue to lead the UK based Factual Entertainment and Events and Entertainment and Music teams as Managing Directors respectively, reporting into Forde and working closely with him to create a leadership board for the new business.
Forde has overseen BBC Studios’ International Productions and Formats business outside the UK since 2018 and in the last three years the business has more than doubled, with wholly owned bases in the U.S. (Los Angeles), India, France, Germany, Australia, South Africa and most recently the Nordics. Some of the most successful shows during this period include Dancing With The Stars, The Great Bake Off and The 1% Club – as well as scripted format hits such as Ghosts, Doctor Foster and Luther.
Ralph Lee says: “Taking our Formats success to another level is key to our long term growth and this move is in response to the substantial changes in the global market where there’s a very high demand for more familiar and trusted brands. Matt’s track-record in recognising the global appeal of our shows and overseeing their successful adoption by partners in multiple territories is second to none, and I’m delighted he’s agreed to lead this new business.”
Matt Forde added: “As the Global Entertainment market continues to evolve at pace bringing our UK businesses into the centre of what we do will help us to continue creating, selling and adapting the best shows and brands from the UK working with the amazing talent in our local BBC Studios offices to deliver the next generation of entertainment and reality programmes to the world.”
The new business will start operating from October 1st this year.
Jon Creamer
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