Ex-Disney+ exec Jonny Richards to join BBC drama division as commissioning editor

Former Channel 4 and Disney+ executive Jonny Richards has been appointed to the role of commissioning editor for drama at UK public broadcaster the BBC.

Jonny Richards

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Richards, who takes up the role in the summer, joins from Disney+, where he had served as director for scripted content since early 2022, overseeing dramas including Rivals season two, A Thousand Blows, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and Shardlake.

During his time at the streamer, he built a development slate in the UK and supported local scripted creative teams across EMEA.

Prior to that, Richards held head of development roles at Element Pictures and Longboat Pictures.

Richards worked at Channel 4 as a drama commissioning executive, overseeing the third season of Paul Abbott’s No Offence, AMC coproduction Humans, Brexit: The Uncivil War and Baghdad Central.

Richards began his career as a script editor at ITV Studios, where his credits include Vera, Jericho and Mr Selfridge.

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC drama, said: “We feel incredibly lucky to have Jonny joining the BBC. Highly respected across the industry and with a wealth of experience and credits under his belt, Jonny knows what makes world-class drama and will be a fantastic addition to our team.”

Richards said: “It’s a real privilege to be joining Lindsay and the brilliant team at the BBC – an organisation whose breadth and quality of drama has had a lasting influence on me. I have loved my time at Disney and feel incredibly lucky to have worked with such wonderful colleagues, led by Angela and Lee.

“I’m excited to collaborate with our industry’s outstanding community of writers and producers at the BBC, to find stories and voices which resonate with, and entertain, audiences across the UK.”