Banijay’s Initial appoints Tamsin Dodgson as creative director

Banijay UK unscripted label Initial has appointed Tamsin Dodgson as creative director, effective from the end of November.

Tamsin Dodgson

Dodgson’s appointment comes after she led the relaunch of Big Brother, produced by Initial, for ITV2, acting as the show’s creative head for the last two years.

As well as the main Big Brother series, Dodgson has overseen Big Brother Late & Live and the celebrity versions of both shows.

In her new role, Dodgson will oversee Initial’s slate of entertainment and reality TV formats, including Big Brother and Soccer Aid. Reporting to Initial MD, Katy Manley, she will lead on editorial decisions and collaborate with the development team to generate new format ideas.

With over 25 years’ experience, Dodgson’s previous exec producer credits include The X Factor (ITV), The Only Way is Essex (ITV) and Celebs Go Dating (Channel 4). She has also worked on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (ITV and NBC), Love Island (ITV), Dancing with the Stars (ABC), Flirty Dancing (Fox) and Dance Monsters (Netflix).

Manley said: “We’re so pleased that Tamsin is moving into this role. Her talent and wealth of experience make her the perfect person to help shape Initial’s next chapter.

“As we continue to expand our award-winning slate and build on the momentum of recent successes, Tamsin’s editorial expertise and creative leadership will be invaluable as Initial moves into 2026, creating standout content that resonates with audiences both in the UK and internationally.”