Liam Keelan to stand down as Disney's head of EMEA Originals

Keelan will depart Disney in early 2025 with the search for a replacement set to get underway.

Keelan helped to build Disney’s EMEA original programming team ahead of the international launch of Disney+. The team has produced 70 originals during his time at the helm.

His division has been responsible for shows such as Sally Wainwright’s Renegade Nell, superhero comedy Extraordinary, Daniel Brühl-starrer Becoming Karl Lagerfeld and the soon-to-launch Jilly Cooper adaptation Rivals.

Keelan said: “It’s been an absolute blast running the Disney+ Originals team. I’ll forever be grateful to Diego Londono and Jan Koeppen for backing me every step of the way as we launched our first raft of commissions and set about changing expectations of what a Disney+ show might be.

“I’m so proud of the range, quality and awards our shows have brought to Disney+. Any success is testament to the brilliant teams we have here in the UK and across the European markets – their passion and creativity have been truly inspiring.

“It’s never an easy decision to leave when there’s so much more to come but channelling Declan O’Hara it’s time for a change and I’ve no doubt Disney+ and the Originals slate will be hugely successful in the months and years to come.”

Disney EMEA’s EVP of Media Networks and Content Diego Londono said in a statement: “Since 2020, Liam has brought an incredible creativity and commitment in delivering a wide-ranging local originals slate across EMEA. I am so proud of the shows Liam has steered, but also of the team he’s built since joining in 2020. I wish him all the best in his next endeavour.”

Keelan previously spent six years at BBC Worldwide as Director of Scripted Content and before that he was Global Editorial Director. He has also held the roles of controller of BBC Daytime and Early peak, controller of daytime at ITV and channel editor at UKTV.