BBC appoints comedy commissioner for North

Hannah Rose

The BBC in the UK has appointed a producer from its BBC Sounds division to take up a new role overseeing comedy commissioning in the north of England.

Hannah Rose becomes assistant commissioner and will be based in Salford, with a remit to work with talent in the North on new and existing titles. She reports into Shane Allen, director of BBC Comedy commissioning and starts 12 April.

Rose was most recently a producer and commissioning lead for comedy at BBC Sounds, where she has developed and produced scripted and entertainment titles across the comedy portfolio, working with names such as Sofie Hagen as well as nurturing newer voices such as Jacob Hawley and Alison Spittle.

The appointment is part of the BBC’s efforts to expand its supplier base and discover more comedy voices across the UK, with the pubcaster yesterday unveiling a raft of plans with a similar aim.

Allen said: “Hannah lives and breathes comedy, her formidable experience on the live comedy scene coupled with her impressive portfolio of work at BBC Sounds make her a highly prized addition to the team.”