BBC Content Chief Runners & Riders: Who Will Claim The Most Powerful Creative Job In British TV?

Charlotte Moore’s decision to quit the BBC has opened up the most powerful creative job in British television — and within minutes speculation was rampant about who could succeed the outgoing content chief.

Moore shocked the industry this morning by announcing plans to take on a dual role at Sony Pictures Television, which will involve overseeing international creative output and running The Crown producer Left Bank Pictures as CEO. She will replace Andy Harries, who yesterday revealed he is transitioning to Executive Chairman.

Sources say Moore has been in talks for months with Wayne Garvie, president of Sony Pictures Television, International, about a unique role. These discussions overlapped with Moore being courted for an international role at Disney but in the end, she opted for Sony. “I think a creative challenge without the politics of a global company had more appeal to her in a post-BBC life,” said an indie boss who is close with Moore. She will report to Garvie, cementing a years-long friendship between the two executives.

Moore is a discrete individual, meaning the news of her departure was a complete surprise to colleagues at the BBC, where she has overseen television output for the past eight years. “We’re totally shocked,” said one senior commissioner. “We were all kept in the dark.” The BBC is yet to comment on succession plans but in his note to staff, BBC Director General Tim Davie said “interim plans will be confirmed shortly” and the search for Moore’s permanent successor begins immediately. Early speculation has alighted on unscripted chief, and Moore confidante, Kate Phillips taking on the caretaker role while recruitment is live. She has been unofficially acting up in recent weeks after Moore injured herself on holiday.

Moore has been an unflinching advocate for the power of public service broadcasting, and the glowing tributes to the job she has done suggest she will leave big shoes to fill. “She is irreplaceable,” said Nisha Parti, who produced BBC drama The Boy with the Topknot and cited Moore’s above-and-beyond work blooding diverse talent. “Charlotte Moore has done more for the BBC and the TV industry than almost anyone will ever realize.” One of her new Sony colleagues praised her ability to “always seem so calm and so easy to access despite all the endless problems that one faces running the BBC.” Those “endless problems” will soon be a thing of the past for Moore. On the day she announced her exit, the BBC Board, which she sits on, is meeting to discuss the corporation’s latest editorial controversy, the Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone doc.

In his staff memo, Davie, who went up against Moore for the Director General gig four years ago, lavished praise on Moore, saying she had “helped transform the BBC in a world of intense competition and choice.” The former documentary commissioner’s legacy at the BBC encompasses hits like Bodyguard, I May Destroy You, The Traitors, and Gavin & Stacey: The Finale. She was the brains behind the BBC’s biggest commissioning revamp in its 100-year history, which saw the corporation do away with channel controllers in order to pivot towards iPlayer — a move that has since become a model for its rivals.

Jobs like this don’t come around very often. Indeed, as detailed by Deadline at the start of the year, there has been a period of unprecedented stability at the top of British television, with content chiefs at the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 all having been in post for record periods of time.

WhatsApp is pinging to the sound of potential contenders to replace Moore, so allow Deadline to walk you through some of the names who are likely to be in the mix as the BBC prepares for a new era.

Anne Mensah, Netflix’s UK Vice President of Content
Mensah will surely be a candidate near the top of the BBC’s wishlist. The Netflix executive wowed colleagues in Los Gatos with a parade of hits last year, as British shows including Baby Reindeer, Fool Me Once, The Gentlemenand One Day all dominated the streamer’s most-watched list. Baby Reindeer has also been a darling of awards season, clinching Emmy and Golden Globe prizes. Mensah loves the BBC and has previously served as its head of independent drama, but can the corporation afford her? Moore earned £468,000 ($590,000) last year. And would Netflix mount a rearguard action to keep its prized executive? There is broad agreement that she is qualified to succeed Moore, but uncertainty over whether it’s the right job at the right time for Mensah. “Can’t see her doing that,” was the verdict of one well-connected television executive.

Zai Bennett, BBC Studios Productions CEO
Ex-BBC Three controller and Sky Studios exec Zai Bennett has just commenced his new job running BBC Studios Productions but at least half a dozen sources floated his name straight off the bat. Bennett, whose credits at Sky included Chernobyl, Gangs of London and Patrick Melroseis a popular programs exec who is equally adept across scripted and non-scripted, which would be enormously valuable for whoever replaces Moore. He only came in for Ralph Lee at BBC Studios in November but an insider with knowledge of the BBC Studios interview process said Bennett’s role is viewed as something of a springboard to the top BBC content job. “It’s arguably a much better fit for Zai than his current role,” noted this source. Nevertheless, it would still be surprising if Bennett was to move so early in his BBC Studios tenure.

Kate Phillips, BBC Director of Unscripted
As soon as Davie told staff an interim plan would be announced shortly, sources from within and outside the corporation speculated that unscripted supremo Kate Phillips would be a good fit. Phillips is incredibly close to Moore and has been across some of the BBC’s biggest recent hits, including The Traitors. In 2022, she took on the Director of Unscripted role overseeing hundreds of hours worth of shows per year. Notably, that position was created for Phillips by Moore following the botched Factual, Arts and Classical Music Director recruitment process. In terms of taking on Moore’s role permanently, sources noted that Phillips is popular, has good relationships with indies and is commercially minded given her previous experience in distribution. She has also been at the coalface of major BBC scandals, not least those involving Strictly Come Dancing and MasterChef host Gregg Wallace. Having said this, given some of the allegations against Wallace are alleged to have happened on her watch, this could count against her. In recent weeks, we are told that Phillips has at points been acting up for Moore after Moore broke her ankle while skiing, and she is understood to have been dipping her toe into drama. Lack of drama experience would be the main factor counting against Phillips.

Jay Hunt, Creative Director, Europe, Apple TV+
Hunt was one of the first names on people’s lips after news of Moore’s exit broke today. The Apple TV+ executive boasts a CV of high-ranking roles (not least BBC One Controller and Channel 4 Head of Content), which means she is comfortably qualified. The more pertinent question is: is the job big enough for Hunt? She was in the mix to become Channel 4’s CEO in 2017 and was talked about as a potential BBC Director General in 2020, but both jobs went elsewhere. Sources say she will be among the favorites when the same vacancies open up again. In the meantime, Hunt can point to Apple success stories including Slow Horses and Bad Sisters. She also has her hands full as the chair of the BFI — a role that has seen her re-emerge in the public spotlight after years of laying low at Apple.

Kevin Lygo, ITV Managing Director of Media and Entertainment
The veteran executive would surely be considered by the BBC should he indicate a willingness to succeed Moore. He is ITV’s longest-serving content chief, overseeing hits including Love Island, The 1% Cluband Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Does he have the appetite for another major role? People have their doubts. And perhaps more to the point, is he the right fit for the BBC? He is a commercial broadcasting animal and something of a mischievous spirit when talking on public platforms, which may not sit well with the BBC’s more buttoned-up approach to communication. Controversies on Lygo’s watch, including the Phillip Schofield crisis and the 2007 Big Brother racism scandal, would also be raked over if he were elevated to the BBC.

Ben Frow, Paramount’s UK Chief Content Officer
Frow would be a surprise pick for the BBC, but that certainly does not mean that he would be an unpopular pick. Often lauded for his maverick attitude to commissioning, Paramount’s UK creative boss has impressively reinvented and reinvigorated Channel 5 over a sustained period. His hit list includes All Creatures Great and Small and Michael Palin in North Korea. Frow likes to work with a small and well-drilled content team, which could be attractive for the BBC at a time when the corporation is cutting costs. Channel 5’s ability to be nimble suits his skillset, meaning the BBC may seem like too much of an oil tanker. Frow is never shy of a challenge, however, and has the chutzpah to back himself for a bigger role.

Patrick holland, banijay uk ceo
Banijay UK boss Patrick Holland had a successful stint running BBC Two at a time when Moore was BBC One Controller, and they would have worked closely together for years. He left the BBC following the commissioning revamp and has been making an impact at Big Brother maker Banijay UK, striking splashy talent deals with the likes of James Norton, acquiring labels, and consolidating others. As with Moore, he was originally a docs commissioner and would be an experienced hand. He is thought, however, to be happy at Banijay, with no plans to move.

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer, Channel 4
Sources think that it is likely that BBC headhunters will consider Katz, but whether he is a serious candidate is a matter of debate. Katz is well-liked by industry colleagues, but Channel 4 has hit stormy weather during his tenure and people question whether he has done enough to replenish the broadcaster’s stock of returnable hits. Katz will point to success stories including The Piano, The Jury: Murder Tria and Big Boysas well as big swings such as the deal to bring Taskmaster to Channel 4. He is also no stranger to the BBC having edited Newsnight in a past life. An outside bet.

Jane Turton, All3Media CEO
The highly-regarded All3Media CEO was an outside bet for Director General four years ago and, although her overlords are American, she has always been quite the cheerleader for British public service broadcasting. At All3Media, Turton has been part of huge BBC hits like The Traitors and Fleabagand she is admired within the corporation. While she no doubt has many fans in the world of British broadcasting, sources noted that Turton’s strength lies in her business and finance acumen over her creative background, which could count against her should she go for the role. “I’m not sure she’d want it unless it could lead to her becoming Director General,” mused one former colleague.

Outsiders
Other names are circulating the rumor mill this afternoon. Could Liam keelan follow up running Disney’s EMEA content with a tilt at Moore’s role? He is well-liked and has vast experience working for the BBC. Other more leftfield potentials include Ben Stephensonthe former BBC drama chief now running production outfit Poison Pen; Julian BellamyMD of ITV Studios; Polly Hillthe ITV drama boss recently courted for Keelan’s role at Disney; and Angela Jainhead of unscripted at ITV Studios.

Mystery Candidate
If the BBC casts its net wide, would it look to America for a big-hitter? These recruitment processes often produce a leftfield candidate and poaching an executive from a U.S. network or streaming service could be appealing to BBC boss Davie, who perennially talks about the competition from these companies. There may well be a dark horse not among today’s speculation.