The Garden’s Anna Dickeson joins BBC as docs commissioning editor in Leeds

The BBC in the UK has appointed Anna Dickeson as commissioning editor for documentaries, with a remit to build relationships with external partners and talent in the North of England.

Anna Dickeson

Based in the city of Leeds, she will work with Clare Sillery and Jack Bootle on documentaries, history, religion, science and natural history content, serving as a point of contact for independent production companies in the North and Midlands.

Dickeson joins the BBC from ITV-owned prodco The Garden, where she helped manage the company’s expansion into the North as the creative lead at The Garden Yorkshire and worked on series including 24 Hours in A&E for Channel 4.

Prior to joining The Garden, Dickeson worked as a freelance series producer and director. She has extensive experience of fixed-rig series and observational documentaries, including serving as series producer and director on the first season of The Secret Life of the Zoo for Channel 4.

“She has been a strong champion of talent and indies in the North with an impressive track record and I am very much looking forward to working with her and building further on commissions in the North and across the UK,” said Fiona Campbell, acting director of factual, arts and classical music and BBC Three’s controller.

With Dickeson’s departure, The Garden has appointed Rachel Smith, who executive produced the first season of 24 Hours in A&E, to head its northern operation.

“Rachael is a perfect fit for the job: a talented and thoughtful filmmaker and an exemplary team leader with an impressive record in exactly the kind of popular premium factual TV that The Garden exists to make,” said The Garden’s joint CEOs, John Hay and Nicola Hill.

“We’ve long admired her, have loved working with her on [24 Hours in A&E] and are very happy to be deepening that relationship as we look to the future.”