Kay Benbow Named Controller of CBeebies

LONDON: The current head of CBeebies’ production, animation and acquisitions, Kay Benbow, is to take on the role of controller at the BBC’s preschool channel.

She will be based in Salford as part of the move of BBC Children’s to BBC North next year. Benbow has more than 20 years of experience in children’s television, with the bulk of it spent at the BBC. She has been leading all in-house production and commissioning acquired programming, credited with bringing in top rated shows such as Timmy Time, Chuggington, Wibbly Pig and Driver Dan’s Story Train.

Benbow said: "I am absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to lead the country’s best-loved preschool channel. I am passionate about children’s programming—there can be no better job in the world than helping provide young children with memorable programs and experiences that will stay with them all their lives. It’s particularly thrilling to be leading the channel to our new Salford base, which throws up lots of exciting opportunities to develop new relationships with our audiences and pilot new ways of working."

The director of BBC Children’s, Joe Godwin, added: "Kay’s a great program-maker and creative leader and, through her animation work, is well known and highly respected across the preschool world. I’m really pleased that Kay will be taking over at such an exciting time, with Strategy Review proposing an additional investment of £10million in BBC Children’s. I couldn’t wish for a better person to lead CBeebies to its new home in Salford and to keep it number one."