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Children’s chief Taylor to leave BBC

Cheryl Taylor, head of content at BBC Children’s, will leave the UK pubcaster after 15 years in 2021.

Cheryl Taylor

Taylor, who has been in her current role since 2017, told her colleagues of her decision to take voluntary redundancy yesterday and will leave the BBC in early April next year.

The exec joined BBC Children’s in 2012 as controller of CBBC before taking on commissioning responsibilities for both CBBC and CBeebies as head of content.

Prior to BBC Children’s, Salford-based Taylor held various roles at the BBC, including a stint as controller for comedy commissioning, where she championed hit series including Not Going Out, Miranda, Rev, Outnumbered and Mrs Brown’s Boys.

Before joining the BBC in 2006, Taylor was head of comedy at indie Hat Trick Productions and was also a commissioning editor for Channel 4, where she greenlit Spaced and Black Books.

“As with all significant decisions this was a really tough one. I’ve had the most challenging and rewarding eight years and I couldn’t have asked for a better or more talented bunch of comrades to share the journey with,” said Taylor.

“However, I’ve long felt that I need to find more time for my elderly parents, my own kids and long-suffering and supportive husband. I’ve loved seeing more of them all during lockdown and they mean the world to me. So, although I’m going to miss you all so much, this feels like the right decision and also a positive decision – albeit at a rather strange moment in time for us all.”

“I’m so proud of what all the teams across BBC Children’s have achieved in the last few years. The seismic changes to the kids media landscape have posed complex and invigorating challenges – but I’m certain our wonderful public service content will continue to shine in a world where messages of inclusivity and bold creativity are proving ever more precious. We’ll always seek to reflect the lives of as many UK kids as we possibly can.”

Patricia Hidalgo Reina, who joined the BBC recently from WarnerMedia to lead the children’s department, said that during her tenure, Taylor has helped to grow distinctive new titles for CBBC and CBeebies, placed teen titles on iPlayer and created impactful brand extensions.

“Cheryl was determined that social distancing wouldn’t stunt our creativity and in the last few months both in-house and indie suppliers have delivered a plethora of lockdown content including Oti’s Boogie Beebies, Mister Maker At Home, Celebrity Supply Teacher, Garden Tales, Toddler Club and Saturday Mash-Up,” added Hidalgo Reina, who will be announcing details of the succession plan “in due course.”

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