Initial Brings in New Creative Director

LONDON: This February BBC veteran Mirella Breda is set to become the creative director of Initial, an independent entertainment producer owned by Endemol UK.

In her new role, Breda will report to Nick Samwell-Smith, the recently-elevated managing director of Initial. She will be charged with increasing the company's entertainment output. She will create and produce new formats for the U.K. and international markets, and continue to develop existing productions.

Breda previously served as executive editor for BBC Entertainment Commissioning, where she collaborated with in-house and independent producers on a variety of entertainment and factual formats and events for BBC One and BBC Two. Before that she was an executive producer for BBC Features & Factual Entertainment Commissioning.

Samwell-Smith commented: "Mirella has overseen some of the biggest entertainment hits on British television. Her extraordinary instinct for what viewers want is underlined by her stellar track record and I'm thrilled to be bringing her skill and leadership into the creative heart of Initial."

Breda added: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Nick and the amazing team at Initial. It's been an absolute privilege to be a BBC Commissioner but I've always been a program maker at heart and I couldn't turn down the chance to work with one of the best creative teams in the business."