BBC3’s Kavanagh to join Tiger Aspect

BBC3 controller Damian Kavanagh is to leave the UK pubcaster to take over as MD of Peaky Blinders prodco Tiger Aspect.

Damian Kavanagh

Kavanagh will take up the role in the new year and will be responsible for the creative and strategic direction of the company, which is owned by Endemol Shine Group.

He will report to Richard Johnston, CEO of Endemol Shine UK.

His appointment comes after former incumbent Ben Cavey left the prodco in July to join streaming giant Netflix’s comedy team in Los Angeles.

Tiger Aspect’s output includes drama, factual, kids and comedy programming, including the BBC’s Ripper Street and The Catherine Tate Show, satcaster Sky’s Curfew, Netflix’s comedy travelogue Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father and kids’ series Charlie & Lola.

In moving to Tiger Aspect, Kavanagh brings the curtain down on a long career at the BBC, having joined the pubcaster in 1994.

He held a series of roles including head of planning and scheduling at BBC Daytime and BBC3, and was controller of the CBBC channel, where he was responsible for formulating the content and brand strategy and for commissioning all content for TV and online. Kavanagh had a stint at fellow pubcaster Channel 4 as head of features and factual formats before re-joining the BBC.

He took over as controller of BBC3 in 2014, overseeing the online migration of the youth-skewing channel in 2016. As controller he was responsible for commissioning for the channel and oversees BBC Content’s multiplatform strategy.

Under his stewardship, the channel introduced high-profile talent including Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, This Country’s Daisy and Charlie Cooper and documentary maker Stacey Dooley to a BBC audience.

“I’ve had a wonderful time at BBC3, growing the channel as a digital youth brand and commissioning numerous hit shows loved by audiences and critics alike, but feel that the chance to lead a company like Tiger Aspect with its brilliant diverse slate of programming is a rare opportunity that I simply couldn’t let pass,” Kavanagh said.

“I’m looking forward to working with Richard and the fantastically talented creative teams at Tiger to build on the existing broad portfolio of hit shows and grow the business further.”

Johnston added: “Tiger Aspect is a unique business, a genuinely multi-genre company with a thriving slate including global scripted hits, innovative new comedy and entertainment and multi-award-winning kids and animation.

“Damian is a brilliant creative leader who has taken BBC3 from strength to strength and I can’t think of anyone more suited to take Tiger Aspect to the next level.”