TBI’s 2024 Predictions: Tom Fussell, CEO, BBC Studios

By Richard Middleton 2nd January 2024

Tom Fussell

2024 is set to be a pivotal year for the global content industry, so TBI has enlisted some of the biggest names in the business to share their thoughts on the major trends of the next 12 months and how they’re going to capitalise on them.

Here, BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell details his key programming trend to watch out for over the next 12 months and why the working environment is taking centre stage more than ever before.

Happy Valley

What is the biggest growth area for your company this year?

Having produced the UK’s five most watched programmes of 2023 and had the biggest entertainment, drama and factual series with Strictly, Happy Valley and Planet Earth III, we’re looking forward to another big year for production that will showcase our quality across the board.

And we’ll reach our audiences wherever they are as we build on the relaunch of the world’s biggest English-language news website, BBC.com, and continue to evolve our streaming services, including the transition of UKTV Play to U, as well as UKTV’s free-to-air channels to U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&YESTERDAY and U&W.

What is the key trend going to be in 2024?

The growth of the franchise as broadcasters and platforms double down on known and trusted IP.

The Solar System With Brian Cox (Source: BBC)

What is your New Year’s resolution and why?

We’ve got ambitious plans to grow the business in the next few years but we’ll only do that by continuing to focus on making BBC Studios the place where the best people want to do their best work. Our teams tell us they’re proud to work for us and I want to take that to the next level in the new year.

What will be the biggest headline in 2024 and why?

Continued consolidation.

What show are you most looking forward to in 2024?

It’s going to be a great summer of sport on the BBC with Wimbledon, the men’s Euro’s and the Olympics. I’m also looking forward to The Solar System With Brian Cox and Mammals, new landmarks from our Science and Natural History Units. In scripted, our labels have so much premium drama lined up with broadcasters and streamers that it’d be unfair to pick one out, but we’ve got some real treats coming up.

Read more from TBI’s 2024 Predictions

Tom Fussell, CEO, BBC Studios

Nomsa Philiso, CEO of general entertainment, MultiChoice Group

Marina Williams, co-CEO, Asacha Media Group

Kate Beal, founder & CEO, Woodcut Media

James Burstall, CEO, Argonon

Julian Bellamy, MD, ITV Studios

Daria Leygonie-Fialko, founder, Space Production

Rob Wade, CEO, Fox Entertainment

Frank Spotnitz, CEO, Big Light Productions

David Michel, president and co-founder, Cottonwood Media

TBI’s 2024 Predictions: Mark Fennessy, founder & CCO, Helium