BBC Drama expands team with new development boss & commissioners

L-R: Danielle Scott-Haughton, Nick Lambon & Sami El-Hadi

The BBC’s drama team has appointed The Forge’s Sami El-Hadi as head of development and expanded its commissioning ranks, with new hires including former Champion and Silent Witness execs.

El-Hadi served as development executive at Roadkill producer The Forge and was previously at Working Title, where he worked as script executive on shows including Channel 4’s We Are Lady Parts and the BBC’s Everything I Know About Love.

Also joining the team as commissioning editors are Danielle Scott-Haughton and Nick Lambon, who will have a focus on Northern Ireland.

Scott-Haughton arrives from Balloon Entertainment where she has worked for the past seven years, most recently as development executive for scripted television and as executive producer on Champion, the forthcoming musical drama series for BBC One and iPlayer from author Candice Carty-Williams.

Lambon has worked across scripted titles including as script editor on multiple series of Doctor Who and DCI Banks, assistant producer on series one of Sanditon, and more recently as script producer and then producer on the BBC’s Silent Witness, and as producer on series two of Channel 4’s Screw. He will lead on commissions from Northern Ireland.

El-Hadi and Scott-Haughton have already started in their roles, while Lambon will join the BBC in the coming months.

The trio join the team led by former Netflix UK exec Linsday Salt, who took over as director of BBC Drama in July last year, following the exit of previous chief Piers Wenger, who moved to Euphoria producer A24, along with the BBC’s director of films, Rose Garnett.