Press Releases

Jana Bennett, Director, BBC Vision today confirmed two new positions within the senior Vision team.

Christine Langan has been appointed as Creative Director of BBC Films.

In addition, Sue Deeks becomes Head Of Acquisitions focussing on series acquisitions while Steve Jenkins will report to her and will continue to oversee film acquisitions.

Christine Langan will lead the editorial strategy and commissioning of the BBC Films slate working alongside Jane Wright who will become Managing Director, BBC Films with responsibility for day-to-day running of the business operations and marketing.

Christine Langan and Sue Deeks will join Ben Stephenson, Controller, Drama Commissioning, and Lucy Lumsden, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, meeting quarterly through the BBC Fiction board to be chaired by Jana Bennett.

Jana Bennett said: "Christine Langan has an impressive reputation in the industry having worked on fantastic pieces such as The Queen, The Damned United and In The Loop to name just a few.

"Jane Wright's incredible experience and skill at creating partnerships with other areas of the UK film industry that have allowed so many BBC Films to flourish continue to be a huge asset to the division.

"Meanwhile Sue Deeks has an unerring instinct for spotting distinctive and original programming that has brought BBC audiences some of the most successful international series of recent years that sit alongside the formidable UK drama offering.

"With such a strong editorial leadership in place across Vision I have decided not to recruit a new controller of Fiction but instead to create a flatter, simpler editorial structure.

"I have great confidence in our editorial leaders as a team who have huge ambition to seek the benefits of collaboration across the whole slate for all our audiences."

Notes to Editors

• Ben Stephenson became Controller Drama Commissioning in September 2008.
• Lucy Lumsden became Controller, Comedy Commissioning in November 2005.
• Jane Tranter stepped down as Controller Fiction in December 2008.

JP3