Caroline Raphael to leave Radio 4 and 4 Extra
Caroline Raphael, Commissioning Editor Comedy and Fiction, BBC Radio 4 and Commissioning Editor, BBC Radio 4 Extra has decided to leave the BBC early next spring.
Published: 20 October 2014
Caroline has made a huge contribution to BBC Radio over the years and I’ve been lucky to work with her.
Caroline has worked across BBC Radio for three decades and is currently responsible for commissioning Radio 4’s Comedy and Fiction programmes as well as Book At Bedtime and Short Stories. She is also the Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 Extra, Radio 4’s digital sister station broadcasting the best of the BBC’s archive.
As Radio 4’s comedy lead, Caroline has been committed to finding and developing new comedians, writers and shows and bringing them to the attention of millions of listeners, whilst also celebrating the enduringly popular shows on the network.
Many of the programmes and talent that Caroline has introduced to radio have since become well-known TV series and personalities, such as Little Britain, The League Of Gentlemen, Down The Line, That Mitchell And Webb Sound, Dead Ringers, Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show, as well as Miranda Hart and Sarah Millican.
Last month her comedy commission for Radio 4 - Bridget Christie Minds The Gap - received the inaugural Rose D’Or for Radio Entertainment.
Caroline joined the BBC in 1984 from Bristol Old Vic Theatre where she had worked as a director. She started in the radio drama team as a script editor, became a producer and then editor and went on to work as the editor of youth programmes for the new BBC Radio 5, where she helped shape the network and commission the first independent productions for BBC Network Radio. Caroline then moved on to become the first female Head of Drama for BBC Radio in 1994.
In 1997, she moved over to Radio 4. She was part of the small team who redesigned the Radio 4 schedule which is still mainly in place over 15 years later, and during her years at the station has commissioned a wide range of programmes and genres, including drama, The Archers, arts and music documentaries, general factual as well as comedy and fiction.
During her time in Radio 4, Caroline has commissioned several award-winning arts documentaries, including Tim Key And Gogol’s Overcoat, which won the prestigious 2013 Prix Italia for Extraordinary Originality and Innovation. Caroline has also championed Radio 4’s presence at numerous festivals across the UK, including Glastonbury, Latitude, Edinburgh, Cheltenham and Hay, as well as a small-scale tour of Universities.
She made her decision after the plans affecting her role were finalised recently as part of the restructuring that is happening across BBC Radio.
Caroline Raphael said: “When I joined the BBC on a temporary 10 week contract, I had no idea I'd stay for over 31 years. I have been so privileged to have worked with such fascinating, creative, and always inspiring managers, producers, writers, and comedy talent.
“After finally making up my mind about leaving Radio 4 next spring, I’m now excited about taking all that I have learnt in this unique organisation, and exploring the opportunities I can see outside the corporation.”
Gwyneth Williams, Controller Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra, said: “Caroline has made a huge contribution to BBC Radio over the years and I’ve been lucky to work with her. She has commissioned thousands of programmes for the enjoyment of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra listeners, and personally I’ve admired her ability to find and develop new talent and her drive to showcase more women in comedy.
“Her expertise and experience in comedy and entertainment are unparalleled and I would like to thank Caroline for her commitment and professional dedication to Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra.”
The recruitment for a new Commissioning Editor for Comedy and Entertainment will commence shortly as a three-day-a-week post. Plans are currently being developed for how the other programme areas currently overseen by this post will be covered.
This change in the Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra team is part of the wider BBC Radio reorganisation, announced in June to preserve the quality of on air programming in the face of significant savings challenges. The BBC is on course to make £800 million of savings annually by 2017.
Notes to Editors
Radio 4’s comedy programmes have a weekly reach of 5.26m according to the latest RAJAR figures.
The genre is also hugely popular digitally amongst audiences with BBC Radio 4’s Friday Night Comedy being the most successful BBC Podcast. It has been downloaded domestically more than 70m times and internationally more than 90m times following its launch in 2007.
Radio 4’s comedy programmes are often some of the most requested radio iPlayer programmes: In August 2014, an episode of I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue was requested 162,000 times, a Just A Minute episode 101,000 times and a Dead Ringers one 88,000 times.
Radio 4 Extra reaches about 1.6 million people a week with a schedule mainly devoted to showcasing comedy and drama from the BBC Archive.
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