Wolf Hall


BBC drama boss exits for J.J. Abrams prodco

The BBC’s drama chief, Ben Stephenson, is leaving the UK public broadcaster and relocating to LA. He will join J.J. Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot Productions, as head of television. Stephenson has been controller of drama commissioning at the BBC since 2008, during which time he has greenlit shows such as Sherlock, Wolf Hall, Luther […]

Tony Hall reveals BBC Studios

BBC director general Tony Hall has revealed the name and further details of the UK pubcaster’s new production division. BBC Studios will handle all BBC productions – excluding sport, current affairs and children’s TV – as part of a plan to allow the BBC to produce for other channels and to broaden the BBC’s own […]

SVT scores ‘biggest’ BBC package deal

SVT has closed what the Swedish pubcaster describes as its “biggest ever package deal” with BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm. SVT has been a consistent buyer of BBC content over the years, but today’s deal eclipses al previous agreements in terms of volume. Key dramas included in the deal are Russell T. Davies’ upcoming […]

British drama features on expanded Masterpiece

PBS will launch several new scripted series from the UK in its winter/spring schedules. The US public service channel, which has enjoyed great success with UK drama Downton Abbey as well as the likes of Call the Midwife, is coproducing some of the drama for its expanded Masterpiece strand and has acquired several other titles. […]

Tony Hall: BBC is value for money

BBC director general Tony Hall has argued that though the corporation has made mistakes in the past, it is delivering better value for money than 20 years ago, and said drama is “top of the priority list” in its current budget discussions. Delivering a speech at the Voice of the Listener & Viewer Conference in […]