BBC Factual commissioning editor Emily Smith set to join Wall To Wall

Warner Bros-owned UK production company Wall to Wall has hired BBC commissioning editor Emily Smith as its new creative director.

Emily Smith

Smith, currently commissioning editor for BBC Factual, will take up the role at the unscripted specialist next March.

After joining the BBC in 2018, she commissioned titles including Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make Up Star, Sort Your Life Out, Forensics: The Real CSI, The Grand Party Hotel, Inside the Supermarket, Miriam’s Dead Good Adventure and the forthcoming series Yorkshire Born, as well as singles including Abused by My Girlfriend and Bad Influencer.

During her three years in the position Smith also oversaw returning formats such as Who Do You Think You Are? and The Choir (The Choir: Our School by the Tower, The Choir: Aylesbury Prison, The Choir: Singing for Britain).

Prior to the BBC, Smith series-produced and directed a range of factual shows including The Week the Landlords Moved In (Boundless/BBC One), Employable Me (Optomen/BBC Two), One Born Every Minute (Dragonfly TV/Channel 4) and An Hour to Save Your Life (Boundless/BBC Two).

Smith will report to MD and head of Wall to Wall Leanne Klein and her focus will be on developing and delivering new factual formats and large-scale factual entertainment series for UK broadcasters and global streamers.

She will also join the senior management team at Wall to Wall, alongside creative director for international Jeremy Dear, director of production Helena Ely, director of development Gavin Rota and director of finance Craig Duff.

Wall to Wall’s slate includes Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC One), Growing Up Animal (Disney+), Nadiya’s Fast Flavours (BBC One), multi-award-winning Long Lost Family (ITV) and Glow Up (BBC Three and Netflix).

Its forthcoming projects include returning drama Waterloo Road, coproduced with Rope Ladder Fiction for BBC One.