Kudos nabs BBC drama exec for development

Endemol Shine Group-owned drama house Kudos has hired a new head of development from UK pubcaster the BBC.

Sarah Stack, a senior script executive with BBC Northern Ireland, has landed the role at Humans producer Kudos, with Emma Kingsman-Lloyd and Vicki Delow also achieving promotions.

She will report to Kudos CEO Diererick Santer, and focus on origination and development, the company’s existing slate and attracting creative talent.

Stack replaces Jo Strevens, who joined NBCUniversal-owned Carnival Films in November 2016.

At BBC Northern Ireland, Stack managed an extensive slate, where she worked on series such as BBC Two’s upcoming Paula and BBC One returner Jamaica Inn. She also initiated several writing programmes.

“I have loved my time at BBC Northern Ireland Drama working with a great team producing some of the best TV and Radio dramas,” she said. “Although I will be sad to say goodbye, I’m really excited about starting with Kudos. They are a really talented team, driven by passion with the capacity to deliver quality drama whatever the scale.”

Kingsman-Lloyd, meanwhile, who has produced all three seasons of ITV and PBS drama Granchester, has been upped to executive producer on Channel 4 and AMC sci-fi Humans alongside existing EPs Derek Wax, Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley.

She will also develop other Kudos projects, having worked on Lip Service for BBC Three, MI High for CBBC and the pilot of Flowers for Channel 4, all for Kudos, as well as ITV dramas DCI Banks and A Life of Crime.

Delow, assistant producer on Kudos-produced Sky Atlantic and Canal+ serial The Tunnel: Sabotage and the upcoming Tin Star, has been promoted to producer and will work on Humans.

“I’m thrilled to be announcing these three exciting appointments,” said Santer. “I’ve always been struck by Sarah’s clarity, her intelligence, and her original thinking, and I’m delighted to be giving Emma and Vicki the opportunity to step up to bigger roles within the company.

“Emma has tirelessly steered Grantchester from book adaptation to global hit, and Vicki has played a key role guiding numerous Kudos developments over the years.”