Julian Hector Departing BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit

BBC Studios Productions has revealed that Julian Hector, head of the Natural History Unit, is intending to step down at the end of the year.

Hector is departing after five years leading the unit, since he took over from Wendy Darke in 2016, and almost three decades at the BBC. Hector has presided over a period at the Bristol-based production house that has included such blockbusters as Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, Dynasties and Seven Worlds, One Planet.

Under Hector’s stewardship, the Natural History Unit has won a raft of new commissions with the BBC (The Green Planet, Frozen Planet II) and with new buyers, including Apple’s forthcoming The Year The Earth Changed, National Geographic’s Ocean Xplorers, Endangered for Discovery and The Americas for NBCU.

Following his departure from the Natural History Unit, Hector will pursue other interests connected to wildlife and championing the natural world.

Tom McDonald, BBC Studios’ managing director of factual, said: “I have nothing but admiration for Julian—he’s been an exceptional colleague. During his tenure, he has put the natural world and the NHU’s people at the center of his thinking so his departure at the end of the year will be bittersweet. He has transformed the NHU, growing the business and transforming its culture. His legacy will be felt for many years to come—in our output, in the opening of NHU LA and in innumerable other ways.”

Julian Hector, head of BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, added: “It’s a wrench to leave the helm of the Natural History Unit after five wonderful years. I feel honored to have led the world’s best wildlife filmmaking team in creating such hugely influential work. Rest assured, I will continue to weave the natural world into all I do and will always champion the public service ideals of the BBC, surely one of the most important cultural and civilizing institutions in the world.”