Karl Warner, the previous Channel 4 digital exec, has joined BBC Studios as Govt Vice President of UK Leisure and Digital Growth.
Working with the just lately fashioned BBC Studios International Leisure division will kind a brand new group centered on creating new IP and codecs for the BBC in addition to different UK and world platforms.
He may even work with International Leisure groups world wide, particularly within the U.S., to reimagine worldwide concepts for the UK market. These would then be produced by the brand new BBC Studios Leisure division led by MD for UK Leisure Suzy Lamb.
A 3rd prong to his function will see him search to assist create new labels and help current BBC Studios corporations such because the just lately launched Insurgent Insurgent Photos.
The function begins in November.
The transfer marks a return again to the BBC, the place he was beforehand a commissioning editor. Warner exited his earlier function as Head of Youth and Digital at UK community Channel 4 as a part of a collection of cuts earlier this yr. We first reported on his anticipated exit in February and the affirmation adopted a month later. Caroline Hollick, Channel 4’s former drama chief, resurfaced in a brand new UK function at The North Highway Firm final week.
In Warner’s new function at BBC Studios, he’ll report into Matt Forde, the International Leisure Managing Director.
Warner has labored in senior business positions within the UK for the previous 15 Yeats, holding his commissioning roles on the BBC and Channel 4 and operating his personal indie, Electrical Ray, with backing from Sony Photos Leisure. Additional again, he held roles at NBCUniversal-owned Monkey Kingdom and at Endemol, the place he labored on Huge Brother. Whereas on the Beeb, he was a part of the in-house group that developed Strictly Come Dancing‘s return in 2004
He had joined Channel 4 in 2018 as Controller of youth-skewing community E4 and oversaw the leisure division, engaged on offers for the likes of Taskmaster and I Actually Simply Informed You. He additionally labored on present E4 hit Married at First Sight UK.
“I’m delighted that somebody of Karl’s expertise and inventiveness has joined BBC Studios to assist us supercharge our ambitions,” stated BBC Studios’ Forde. “Establishing a versatile hub of artistic expertise to develop UK hit reveals throughout a number of platforms with an progressive, world, and future-looking strategy for audiences has been a precedence since organising International Leisure. I can’t wait to see what he and the new group working throughout the UK and world create.”
Warner added: “After over a decade, I’m thrilled to be again on the BBC with a brand new world perspective and becoming a member of BBC Studios in a artistic management function at such an thrilling time. With its enormous scale, wealthy catalogue of IP and second to none Expertise relationships, I can’t consider a greater place to be, creating new concepts that talk to the subsequent era of audiences, alongside Suzy and the wonderful groups within the group.”
