Godwin leaves BBC Children’s

The BBC is looking for a new exec to lead its kids’ channels CBeebies and CBBC ahead of the departure of current BBC Children’s director Joe Godwin.

Joe Godwin

Godwin will become the director of the BBC Academy, described as the UK media sector’s biggest skills trainer, at the beginning of next year. He replaces Anne Morrison, who stepped down this week.

The BBC said it will be advertising for Godwin’s successor at BBC Children’s “in the next few weeks.”

The job includes responsibility for the overall direction and management of all of the BBC’s services for children, including its two channels and their websites.

In his five years in the job, Godwin oversaw the biggest move in the department’s history when it relocated from London to Salford, Greater Manchester, and has also forged partnerships with international producers such as Sesame Workshop, ZDF and FremantleMedia.

A former head of original production at Nickelodeon UK, Godwin was head of news, factual and entertainment at BBC Children’s from 2008 and prior to that ran children’s entertainment.

Godwin said: “The chance to combine several of my passions – encouraging new talent, helping the BBC skill-up a diverse workforce, and the chance to lead the world-class BBC Academy in its new home at the heart of the UK – was too exciting an opportunity to miss.”