BBC Studios hires Drum Studios exec Elanor Lee to lead production at new specialist factual unit

Elanor Lee

BBC Studios (BBCS) has landed Drum Studios exec Elanor Lee as its head of production for specialist factual.

Lee’s appointments completes the leadership team across BBCS’s new-look unit Specialist Factual Productions, with Alan Holland as head, Abigail Priddle as creative director and Suzanne McKenna leading commercial & business development.

She joins having been head of production at Drum and before that has had spells working for indies including Studio Ramsey, Pulse Films and Curious Films.

Lee said: “I admire the teams’ commitment to producing thought provoking and high-quality programmes and I’m excited to be part of such a well-regarded team with a commitment to create a truly diverse and inclusive production environment.”

Holland added that Lee’s “track record speaks for itself and she has all the attributes we need to help elevate our new business to the next level.”

The restructuring at BBCS Factual was unveiled last month, with two separate teams created, each with a distinct editorial focus and leadership.

BBCS Specialist Factual Productions focuses on history, arts, music and culture programing and already has a slate of titles in the works for both the BBC and third parties, including Uncanny and Lost Gold.

The Documentary Unit, meanwhile, is recruiting a new head and will continue to work on obs-doc and constructed factual titles such as Grenfell: The Untold Story.