BBC comedy head Jon Petrie exits to become creative director at Hat Trick

The BBC’s director of comedy, Jon Petrie, is leaving the UK public broadcaster to become creative director at Hat Trick Productions.

Jon Petrie

Petrie joined the BBC in 2021 and has worked on shows including Amandaland, Small Prophets, Ghosts, Here We Go and Gavin & Stacey: The Finale.

He also established the BBC Comedy Festival, which has just marked its fifth year in Liverpool as a celebration of UK comedy talent – both new and established, on camera and behind the scenes.

He will depart in August and Emma Lawson will step up as interim director of comedy with immediate effect. The BBC will begin recruitment for a new director of comedy, with further details to be announced soon.

Petrie originally joined the BBC from indie Broke and Bones, owned by Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, where he was head of comedy. Before that, he was comedy commissioning editor at Channel 4.

Petrie said: “Leaving the BBC after five brilliant years is a huge wrench. It is an extraordinary place, full of wildly talented, decent and funny people, and I feel incredibly lucky to have worked under Kate Phillips’ leadership.

“Hat Trick is the OG of the independent production community, and taking on the role of creative director feels like a rare and properly exciting opportunity.”

Phillips, BBC chief content officer, added: “Jon has had a huge impact since joining the BBC five years ago and has been British comedy’s biggest backer by far. I’m very sad to see him go, but he leaves on a comedy high.”