BBC Drama Adds to Commissioning Team

BBC Drama has appointed two new commissioning editors and tapped Sami El-Hadi as its new head of development.

El-Hadi, formerly at The Forge, is joined at BBC Drama by Danielle Scott-Haughton and Nick Lambon, who will now serve as commissioning editors. El-Hadi and Scott-Haughton have started in their new roles, while Lambon will join in the coming months.

Prior to working at The Forge, El-Hadi was at Working Title, where he was a script executive on titles such as We Are Lady Parts and Everything I Know About Love.

Scott-Haughton joins from Balloon Entertainment, where she was most recently development executive for scripted TV and an executive producer for Champion.

Lambon joins after working across a range of scripted titles and roles, including serving as script editor on multiple seasons of Doctor Who and DCI Banks, as assistant producer on season one of Sanditon and as script producer on Silent Witness. He will lead on commissions from Northern Ireland as part of his new role.

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said: “It’s a real honor to announce the appointments of Danielle, Nick and Sami, who I know will be fantastic additions to the BBC Drama team. Danielle’s love for this industry is infectious. She’s a true tastemaker and collaborator. I can’t wait for producers and talent to witness that dynamism as we move into this new era of BBC Drama. Nick’s talent for making television has seen him work across a wonderful variety of dramas in his career so far, and I’m so excited to see what he’ll make with the broad canvas of possibility that BBC Drama commissioning has to offer. Sami has cut his creative teeth on genre-defining shows. His natural forward-thinking instinct, thoughtful manner and excellent taste makes him a great new asset for our top team.”

Scott-Haughton said: “I am excited to be joining the world class BBC Drama team and use all I’ve learned at Balloon Entertainment to collaborate with the very best of emerging and established talent.”

Lambon commented: “I can’t wait to join the BBC Drama team later this year. I’m delighted by the opportunity to expand on their incredible track-record for gripping and surprising storytelling.”

El-Hadi added: “‘I’m incredibly excited to be joining Lindsay’s amazing team, being part of the BBC’s tradition of creating world class drama while continuing to push the envelope and redefine what British drama can be. I’m looking forward to discovering voices and stories we haven’t seen before and championing the next generation of A-list British talent”