The £9m funny fund
Beeb's cash for regional comedy
The BBC has earmarked £9 million to develop comedy shows from outside London.
The news comes as the corporation restructures the way it commissions comedy on TV.
A new job, head of comedy commissioning, has been created with responsibility for ordering all programmes, whether from within the BBC or from outside production houses.
The corporation is now advertising for applicants to the job who will report to Jane Lush, pictured, the controller of entertainment commissioning.
Another new job, based in Glasgow, will be responsible for commissioning the £9million of out-of-London shows – part of the BBC’s drive to become more regional and less centralised in London.
The shake-up has also created three executive editor roles, including one for comedy – which is again being advertised.
Lush said: "Comedy is incredibly important to our audiences; I'm confident these changes will help us get the very best programmes on screen."
Published: 21 Feb 2005
