C4 comedy chief heads to BBC

The head of comedy at UK terrestrial Channel 4 (C4) is switching allegiances to the BBC, where he takes up the role vacated by the new head of CBBC.

Shane Allen joins the Beeb as controller of comedy commissioning, having been C4 head of comedy since 2009, overseeing series including Black Mirror, Facejacker, Friday Night Dinner and Cardinal Burns.

He previously worked for the commercial channel as commissioning editor for comedy, greenlighting Star Stories, Fonejacker, Dead Set and season two and three of The Inbetweeners, before exec producing the latter’s transition to the big screen.

At the BBC, Allen will be based in London with a brief to deliver comedy from across the UK on TV, radio and online.

He described his new role as “a dream job and the best gig in TV comedy.”

Allen replaces Cheryl Taylor, who was named the new controller of CBBC in June.