BBC Adds Seven New Assistant Commissioner Roles

BBC is creating seven new assistant commissioner roles, with a focus on increasing representation from the Nations and Regions and candidates who are deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent.

Five new assistant commissioner roles in the Nations and English Regions will bolster the BBC’s commissioning footprint outside of London. Four of the roles will be in factual, co-funded by the Nations, and one will be in children’s and education, specializing in animation.

Two new London-based assistant commissioner roles will broaden the pipeline from deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent TV talent. One of the roles will be in unscripted, and one will be in scripted.

Kate Phillips, BBC director of unscripted, said: “These new roles demonstrate our commitment to growing and developing new talent and enhancing our representation across the U.K. They will play an important role in spotting and nurturing ideas that will bring viewers high-impact stories that reflect their lives wherever they live.”

Dawn Beresford, director of talent for commissioning, added: “These fresh, new voices from the Nations and Regions and deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent talent pool will strengthen the BBC’s commissioning talent pipeline. We want to find and nurture talent from a wider base and to create exciting opportunities within commissioning across BBC content.”

Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC Children’s & Education, said: “We’re really happy that the BBC Children’s & Education department is involved in the assistant commissioner program and that we can offer an opportunity for a talented individual from Northern Ireland to join our team. With animation a key part of our strategy and an exciting animation community from Northern Ireland, this is a great role for someone to come in and have real impact on our output.”