One of the architects behind the BBC and NBC’s The Traitors deal has joined the corporation to run entertainment.
Ed Havard is exiting his SVP role at Universal International Studios (UIS) to become Director of Entertainment at the Beeb, while Fiona Campbell takes on the Director of Factual role amid the biggest restructure since content chief Kate Phillips took over.
The pair are effectively replacing Phillips, who previously ran unscriped and therefore both genres. Her place was taken briefly by Havard’s Traitors counterpart Syeda Irtizaali, but Irtizaali recently moved to Netflix.
The roles are two of the biggest in British broadcasting and bring to an end a lengthy interview process. Havard will oversee hundred of hours of entertainment a year including the likes of The Traitors, Strictly Come Dancing and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Campbell’s factual brief will include documentaries, with her hire coming a few weeks after docs boss Clare Sillery exited.
Havard has spent the past four years running UK unscripted for UIS, which has incorporated The Traitors on the BBC and in the U.S. on Peacock. He helped shepherd the landmark deal that brought The Traitors to screen on both sides of the pond and also worked on its follow-up, Destination X. The next show from the deal, which will come from original British IP, is currently being pitched by UK producers.
Havard is a former Channel 4 entertainment boss whose credits include The Last Leg and The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan.
The highly-rated Campbell was previously director of youth audiences and had been running unscripted on an interim basis following Irtizaali’s exit. She shepherded BBC Three for many years and used to work across news and current affairs.
Phillips said Havard and Campbell are “inspirational leaders who will ensure that Entertainment and Factual continue to thrive on the BBC.” “Crucially they both put creativity and audiences first and will bring a real energy, clarity and ambition to their teams,” she added.
Both Havard and Campbell will begin their roles in the spring.
