Bennett replaces Cohen at BBC Three, Jackson in for BBCWW’s Garvie

British public broadcaster the BBC has hired ITV’s director of digital channels and acquisitions Zai Bennett as controller of BBC Three.

Separately, the broadcaster’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has appointed indies boss Helen Jackson as managing director of content and production.

Bennett, who previously ran youth skewing channel ITV2 and commissioned series including The Secret Diary of a Call Girl and The Only Way is Essex as well as series with Katie Price, will replace Danny Cohen, who was appointed as BBC One controller in October.

Jackson, meanwhile, will be in charge of all of BBC Worldwide’s content activity, permanently replacing Wayne Garvie, who departed earlier this year to join All3Media International. She has been acting managing director, content and production, since September and was previously in charge of BBC Worldwide’s Indies Unit, where she was in charge of TV acquisitions from independent producers.