BBC Studios Productions combines three units into one global entertainment arm
BBC Studios Productions is combining its entertainment and music, factual entertainment and events, and international productions and formats teams into one global entertainment business.
Matt Forde
The new business, operational from October 1, will be led by Matt Forde, who will assume the role of MD, global entertainment. Forde is currently MD for international productions and formats and will retain this responsibility.
Hannah Wyatt and Suzy Lamb will continue to lead the UK-based factual entertainment and events (Wyatt) and entertainment and music (Lamb) teams as MDs respectively, reporting to Forde and working with him to create a leadership board for the new business.
The global entertainment arm will also house the company’s production companies Mothership Productions and Mettlemouse Entertainment and continue to work with indie partners including Magnum Media, Final Straw Productions, Rebel Rebel Pictures and Hungry Bear Media.
Forde has overseen BBC Studios’ international productions and formats business outside the UK since 2018 and in the last three years the business has more than doubled, with wholly owned bases in the US (LA), India, France, Germany, Australia, South Africa and most recently, the Nordics.
Its shows during this period have included Dancing With The Stars, The Great Bake Off and The 1% Club, as well as scripted formats such as Ghosts, Doctor Foster and Luther.
The commercial arm of UK pubcaster the BBC said combining these teams will “empower the creation and international expansion of new formats and continue to build and grow the hugely successful British versions of shows made by BBC Studios’ thriving UK production units.”
It comes after BBC Studios last year combined its production and content partnerships businesses into a single BBC Studios Productions entity across four genres: scripted, factual, formats and children’s.
Ralph Lee, BBC Studios Productions CEO, said: “Taking our formats success to another level is key to our long-term growth and this move is in response to the substantial changes in the global market where there’s a very high demand for more familiar and trusted brands.
“Matt’s track-record in recognising the global appeal of our shows and overseeing their successful adoption by partners in multiple territories is second to none and I’m delighted he’s agreed to lead this new business.”
Forde added: “As the global entertainment market continues to evolve at pace, bringing our UK businesses into the centre of what we do will help us to continue creating, selling and adapting the best shows and brands from the UK, working with the amazing talent in our local BBC Studios offices to deliver the next generation of entertainment and reality programmes to the world.”
