BBC Studios Productions has hired Channel 4’s former head of youth and digital Karl Warner.
Warner has been tasked with establishing and leading a new creative unit within BBC Studios Productions’ recently formed Global Entertainment business that will target premium long-form and digital formats for the UK and international markets.
As Executive Vice President of UK Entertainment and Digital Development, Warner’s new team will be tasked with creating new IP and formats for the BBC as well as other UK and global platforms.
He will report to Global Entertainment Managing Director, Matt Forde.
Warner’s remit will also include overseeing the creation of new labels and supporting existing labels such as the recently launched Rebel Rebel Pictures.
Warner has previously held commissioning roles at the BBC and Channel 4 as well as founding his own production company, Electric Ray, in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment.
He joined Channel 4 in 2018 as the new controller of E4 and oversaw Channel 4’s entertainment department, brokering deals for hit shows, Taskmaster, and I Literally Just Told You.
He previously held roles at NBC’s Monkey Kingdom and at Endemol where he was a Senior Producer on Big Brother. He was the BBC’s youngest ever commissioning editor at 26.
Matt Forde, Global Entertainment MD, BBC Studios, said: “I’m delighted that someone of Karl’s experience and inventiveness has joined BBC Studios to help us supercharge our ambitions. Establishing a flexible hub of creative talent to develop UK hit shows across multiple platforms with an innovative, global, and future-looking approach for audiences has been a priority since setting up Global Entertainment. I can’t wait to see what he and the new team working across the UK and world create.”
Warner takes up his new role in November.
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