CBeebies Controller Kay Benbow is among a trio of\u00a0executives departing BBC Children’s as the division undergoes a restructuring, which includes the creation of four new positions and the elimination of redundant roles.<\/p>\n
Benbow has spent 25 years working for BBC Children’s, most recently as controller of CBeebies\u00a0since 2010. In 2006, she began serving as the head of CBeebies production, animation and acquisitions.\u00a0Benbow first joined BBC Children’s\u00a0in 1998 after working for BBC World and Domestic Services. She\u00a0will be leaving the company\u00a0at the end of this year.<\/p>\n
After 11 years, Alison Stewart, head of CBeebies production, is also departing the BBC\u00a0next year, as is Jackie Myburgh, controller of business.<\/p>\n
Cheryl Taylor, CBBC’s controller, will take up the new position of head of content, which will replace both channel controller roles. She will oversee\u00a0strategy and commissioning for content\u00a0aimed at viewers\u00a0up to the age of 16.\u00a0Helen Bullough, head of CBBC production, will become the new overall head of production. She will be responsible for the in-house production teams of CBeebies and CBBC in Salford, as well as\u00a0Children’s in Scotland.<\/p>\n
Alice Webb, the director of BBC Children’s and BBC North, made these announcements in a note to staff members. In the fall, she will be looking to fill the new position of\u00a0head of curation and discovery\u2014discontinuing the head of interactive role\u2014and head of business operations, which will replace the controller of business position.<\/p>\n
Webb commented: \u201cWe’re hugely proud of the content and services that we already offer children in the U.K. but we know that their needs and demands are constantly changing. As we move to a more personalized, platform approach\u2014something of the utmost importance for the whole of the BBC\u2014we need a staff structure that can deliver this change. The departure of such significant leaders is clearly a watershed moment for BBC Children’s and I am truly indebted to each of them for the superb work they have brought to the department over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Benbow\u00a0noted: \u201cIt has been a privilege to serve the BBC\u2019s youngest audience as the controller of CBeebies\u2014a job that has been my passion for the past seven years. It has been wonderful to work with such talented and dedicated people, both within the BBC and in the independent and international production communities. I am incredibly proud of the four BAFTA Children’s Channel of the Year awards as CBeebies has evolved into a multi-genre, multiplaform\u00a0channel, offering our viewers and their families a rich, distinctive and inclusive range of content. It has been a pleasure to see such young children enjoy Shakespeare, ballets, CBeebies proms and our annual Christmas shows, alongside our drama, entertainment, factual and animation\u2014all beautifully crafted for this most important audience.<\/p>\n
“I have always said that the very young deserve the very best and I have strived to give them just that. It is my hope that CBeebies inspires them and makes a positive\u00a0impact on their lives, helping to create happy, confident children.<\/p>\n
“I leave with pride, knowing that CBeebies is in great shape, is loved by the audience and will go from strength to strength. CBeebies will always hold a special place in my heart and, whilst my departure is tinged\u00a0with sadness, I will work to effect a smooth transition to the new structure over the coming months before taking some time\u00a0to decide where next.”<\/p>\n
Stewart added: \u201cI have worked for 30 years in preschool content production,\u00a0both in the BBC and in the independent sector. Over the past seven years, in my role as head of CBeebies in-house production, I\u2019m immensely proud to have contributed to the outstanding success of the channel. It\u2019s been an eventful time. I oversaw our move from London, built a strong, award-winning team in Salford and together we\u2019ve grown the CBeebies in-house business year on year, with stand-out multiplatform\u00a0successes in our arts strand, our factual and entertainment\u00a0titles\u00a0and our animated co-productions. I\u2019m proud to have established new partnerships in the north of England and strengthened relationships with co-producers and organizations across the world.<\/p>\n
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for the talented team I have led and for the on-screen performers who bring their work to life. I will spend the next months helping to establish the new structure in which they will work. I know that a combined children\u2019s in-house production team will thrive and that the expertise of our preschool specialists will play a vital role in the continued success of the CBeebies channel.<\/p>\n
“When I leave the BBC in 2018 it will be with mixed feelings of sadness and of pride. Meanwhile, I look\u00a0forward to future creative associations with partners in the U.K. and abroad, who share my passion for producing the finest content for our youngest audience.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CBeebies Controller Kay Benbow is among a trio of executives departing BBC Children’s as the division undergoes a restructuring, which includes the creation of four new positions and the elimination of redundant roles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":479,"featured_media":12690,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[1351,433,494,2856],"class_list":["post-12689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-top-stories","tag-bbc-childrens","tag-cbbc","tag-cbeebies","tag-kay-benbow","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\n