BBC Studios Oz, New Zealand hires Screentime’s Deb Spinocchia as development lead

BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand has appointed Screentime Australia’s Deb Spinocchia to lead its development team from the new year.

Deb Spinocchia

Spinocchia will take up the role of head of development and content in the production department of BBC Studios down under in January.

Spinocchia will join the commercial arm of the BBC from Banijay Group-owned prodco Screentime Australia, where she was executive producer of SAS Australia and The School That Tried to End Racism.

The move comes after BBC Studios’ Australian production arm won five local commissions in 2021, including its first locally created original format, Space 22 for the ABC, which wrapped filming recently.

BBC Studios added to its production team down under earlier this year with the appointment of Will Hamilton to the newly created role of director of commercial and business operations.

Prior to Screentime Australia, Spinocchia was an executive producer at Seven Studios, where she oversaw productions including House Rules, Zumbo’s Just Desserts, First Dates and Back with the Ex.

She has also worked as a producer for companies including Southern Star Entertainment, Endemol Shine, Fremantle, SBS and ABC on shows such as World’s Strictest Parents, So You Think You Can Dance, Big Brother, Undercover Boss and Beauty & the Geek.

Kylie Washington, general manager and creative director in production at BBC Studios ANZ, said: “Deb has a wealth of experience in content development and production across reality, factual, scripted and live entertainment and is the perfect person to lead the development team as we build on the momentum of this year and look to extend our slate further into different genres.”