BBC

The BBC has confirmed the appointment of Danny Cohen as director, BBC Television.

Cohen’s appointment follows an open recruitment process and is the final addition to new Director-General Tony Hall’s senior management team.

Cohen will sit on the BBC’s Executive and Management Boards and will oversee the BBC’s four main channels, BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four alongside BBC iPlayer and online content for BBC Television. He also oversees the Drama, Entertainment, Knowledge and Comedy genres as well as BBC Films. In addition, he will be responsible for the BBC Television archive and BBC Productions, Europe’s largest television production group. Continue reading »

The BBC is said to be about to announce Danny Cohen as their new director of television.

Currently BBC One controller, Cohen is tipped to become George Entwistle’s successor ahead of BBC North director Pater Salmon.

The pair are the frontrunners for the role, with external candidates also in contention.

Former BBC London 2012 head Roger Mosey has been acting director of television since August last year.

David Dimbleby has been charged with hosting the BBC’s coverage of Margaret Thatcher’s funeral next week.

The coverage will begin at 9.15am on Wednesday, April 17 on BBC One.

Lord Bell confirmed the arrangements for the funeral: “She specifically did not want a state funeral and nor did her family.

“She particularly did not wish to lie in state as she thought that was not appropriate.

“And she didn’t want a fly-past as she thought that was a waste of money – somewhat in character you might think. Continue reading »

Matt Lucas will be back on BBC One next year with a brand new comedy series with a working title of Pompidou.

Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One and Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, have commissioned a 6×30-minute prime time visual comedy series from Matt Lucas called Pompidou (w/t).

In his first solo authored narrative series, Matt introduces a new set of characters. The series will also feature guest appearances from some of the world’s finest physical comedy performers. The series will transmit late 2014.

Danny Cohen says: “Matt’s new project is wonderfully original and ambitious. I can’t wait to see what he and his talented team produce.” Continue reading »

John Cleese has taken a pot shot at the BBC, accusing them of not knowing how to do comedy.

The former Fawlty Towers actor believes the current crop of BBC executives don’t know how to make comedy shows.

“The people who became executives (in the 1960s and 1970s) had produced or directed a great deal of comedy,” he says on Goodbye Television Centre, which will air later this month.

“Now there seems to be an executive class and they have never written and never directed. Continue reading »

The BBC is taking on one of the greatest novels of all time in War and Peace.

A six-part adaptation of the Leo Tolstoy novel has been announced by BBC One controller Danny Cohen for a 2015 broadcast.

Danny Cohen says: “War And Peace is truly epic in scale and builds on BBC One’s commitment to bringing audiences drama of the highest quality and impact. Told over six episodes, Andrew Davies will bring his exceptional powers of adaptation to this literary masterpiece.”

Andrew Davies says: “Not just a great novel it’s a wonderful read and it’ll make a wonderful serial. A thrilling, funny and heartbreaking story of love, war and family life. The characters are so natural and human and easy to identify with and Natasha Rostova just beats Lizzy Bennet as the most lovable heroine in literature.” Continue reading »

Incoming BBC Director-General Tony Hall has made a bunch of changes to the broadcaster’s senior management team.

Speaking about today’s announcements Hall said: “I am building a senior team that will define the BBC and public service broadcasting for the next decade. It will be a team that is made up of outstanding talent from outside the BBC combined with the best people from within.

“There will be more changes over the coming months and there is a lot of hard work ahead but today’s appointments are the first steps in delivering that vision.” Continue reading »

BBC drama head Ben Stephenson has some fighting words for Sky.

Following the release of details for the BBC’s new drama line-up, Stephenson took a few pot shots at Sky and their attempts at drama.

He claimed that the BBC is “the adventurous and gung-ho market leader that the competition can only follow and sometimes, maybe even copy”.

“Yes, I am looking at you Sky and your ‘original British drama’ tagline.”

He also criticised Sky Atlantic’s recent commission of The Tunnel, an adaptation of the Scandinavian series The Bridge.

“At all costs we must protect our own British values. Without which we’re a cheap imitation of Hollywood or a less Scandi version of Scandi,” he said. Continue reading »

The BBC has decided to debut some of its TV shows online prior to their on-air screening.

A 12-month trial will see around 40 hours of BBC content hit the internet ahead of their broadcast on the various BBC TV channels.

BBC publicist for future media Ian Walker said: “During 2012, the BBC brought selected online-only programmes to audiences.

“These included BBC Three comedy pilots, a Doctor Who web series called ‘Pond Life’, and curated archive programmes for BBC Four. Continue reading »

Plans have been unveiled for the redeveloped BBC Television Centre in west London.

The £500m development on the famous site will include 1,000 new homes, a hotel and numerous other facilities.

While some BBC productions – such as Strictly Come Dancing – will return to the refurbished site, a large portion of the corporation will not.

Developer Stanhope’s chief executive, David Camp, said: “Stanhope is working in partnership with the BBC to deliver a publicly accessible mixed use remodelling of these iconic buildings and redevelopment of the adjoining land.

“The BBC will continue to have a significant presence at Television Centre and we will be bringing new life into the site with new public routes, spaces and uses. Continue reading »