BBC Studios restructures in ANZ, hires Fremantle & Endemol Shine execs

The Great Australian Bake Off

BBC Studios (BBCS) in Australia and New Zealand has restructured its operations by hiring Fremantle’s scripted development chief and handing a new role to unscripted exec Deb Spinocchia.

Warren Clarke is leaving Fremantle in Oz to become head of scripted for BBCS ANZ, as it prepares to expand its push into the genre down under.

Clarke’s remit will include creating shows for local and international audiences, as well as remaking BBCS scripted formats in Australia and New Zealand.

He joined Fremantle in 2021 as head of scripted development having previously been at Aussie producer Matchbox Pictures, the former home of BBCS ANZ’s GM, Kylie Washington.

Spinocchia, meanwhile, is moving from her role as head of development & content to lead unscripted, with former Endemol Shine Australia exec Arianna Gusi named head of production.

Washington, who joined BBCS from Matchbox in 2018, said the reorg came amid “a real appetite globally for Australian produced drama”, adding that Clarke’s “local creative expertise, coupled with BBC Studios’ brilliant drama catalogue, international contacts and proven ability to fund content” would allow the company to capitalise.

She added: “Our unscripted business continues to go from strength to strength and, with a bunch of shows currently in production and several others in late development stages, it is the right time to bolster our team in that area, with a new role for Deb and the appointment of Arianna to the new post of head of production unscripted.”

BBCS’s unscripted output includes local versions of its formats The 1% Club and Bake Off, produced for Seven and Foxtel respectively.