Meet the new head of BBC radio comedy production | Julia McKenzie takes up role

Meet the new head of BBC radio comedy production

Julia McKenzie takes up role

The BBC has officially appointed its new chief of in-house radio comedies, Julia McKenzie.

She has been acting as the ‘editorial lead’ of the department for the past year. But as the Corporation reorganises its programme-making into a new division, BBC Studios, she has now been named as executive editor of BBC Radio Comedy.

McKenzie  takes up her role immediately, and will work under the new head of BBC Studios comedy. That position has yet to be officially filled, but whoever takes it will be responsible for making shows across radio, TV and online. Myfanwy Moore, the former head of comedy production, announced she was quitting last month after less than two years in the job.

McKenzie joined BBC Radio Comedy in 2007 as a producer, working on programmes including  Mark Steel’s in Town,  The Horne Section and The Penny Dreadfuls  for Radio 4 and French and Saunders and the Jason Byrne Show for Radio 2. She also produced Byrne’s ill-fated BBC One sitcom Father Figure.

She previously worked for the BBC’s local London station, where she worked with comedians including Mel and Sue, Jo Brand and Simon Day and produced The Danny Baker Breakfast Show.
 
Mark Freeland, the BBC’s controller of fiction and entertainment said ‘I am absolutely thrilled that Julia will be heading up the legendary radio comedy team. She is a skilled and passionate leader who always does the very best for her team and for talented, diverse performers who, day-in day-out make listening to the radio an utter delight.’
 
McKenzie added: ‘It really is my dream job to preside over such rich content, working closely with Radio 4 which is undeniably the home of radio comedy.’

Published: 11 Feb 2016

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