SkyShowtime alum Jon Farrar lands at BritBox International

Better (Source: BBC)

Streaming service BritBox International has hired Jon Farrar as SVP of group editorial & content, following his exit as head of programming at SkyShowtime in November.

Farrar, a BBC Studios veteran who moved to SkyShowtime in August 2022, shared the news of his appointment on social media.

He wrote: “New year, new adventure. I’m delighted to say that I’m starting a contract at Britbox International, as SVP Group Editorial & Content, taking brilliant British programmes out to audiences worldwide. I love the brand, as much as its passionate audiences do, and couldn’t be happier to get started.”

During his tenure at SkyShowtime, a JV between Comcast and Paramount Global, Farrar built up the company’s programming division and content slate, across commissions, co-productions and acquisitions, and formed and led overall editorial strategy.

Jon Farrar

He negotiated deals including taking over HBO Max CEE’s now defunct original content slate, bringing titles such as ID, The Winner and Warszawianka to the service as SkyShowtime originals.

Farrar left last year after just 15 months in the role at the same time that Netflix alum Kai Finke was named as chief content officer.

He had joined following 12 years at BBC Studios, where he held a variety of positions, latterly leading its direct-to-consumer programming strategy in a dual role as global VOD director and editor-in-chief of BBC Select, the BBC’s first-ever branded SVOD service in North America.

Farrar was also part of the team that developed BritBox, the streaming joint venture between BBC Studios and ITV, which he has now joined.

BritBox International operates in the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The service offers popular British titles such as Death In Paradise and Downton Abbey, while recent acquisitions include BBC drama Better.

The company set up a new global editorial team last month. Based out of London, New York and Sydney, the team aims to expand and drive the streamer’s commissioning and acquisitioning strategy, with execs Robert Schildhouse and Kerry Ball expanding their remits as a result.