BBC confirms Kirkham as factual chief

UK pubcaster the BBC has confirmed Alison Kirkham as its permanent controller of factual commissioning.

Kirkham has been in the role in an acting capacity since May 2015 after Emma Swain took a secondment to an internal BBC role assessing future commissioning, channels and online strategy options.

Swain recently left the organisation, however, and Kirkham has been confirmed in her post.

“It is an honour to take on this role permanently,” said Kirkham, who’s been with the BBC since 2005. “The factual slate of programmes is integral to the BBC and its relationship with audiences.”

Kirkman’s eleven years at the Beeb began as an executive producer for BBC Daytime. She spent six months as acting controller of daytime a year later, and then headed formats and features for BBC One and BBC Two for five years. She became acting factual commissioning controller last year.

Prior to the BBC, she worked for ITV Current Affairs, and as a producer on programmes such as I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

In her permanent role, Kirkham will continue to report to Charlotte Moore, director of BBC Content, and takes a place on the BBC Content board.

“Alison has proved herself as a dynamic creative leader with a real passion for factual. Over the past year, she has led the team to deliver outstanding success and has championed every specialist genre within factual, embracing the full range and quality of our output.

“She cares enormously about nurturing new and diverse talent and I’m looking forward to seeing her vision for the future take shape.”