Simon Winstone joins BBC Studios as Head of Drama - Wales
BBC Studios, the BBC’s main TV production arm, has appointed Simon Winstone as Head of Drama - Wales, to lead its world-class drama series and serials business, based at Roath Lock in Cardiff.
Published: 19 April 2017
Simon is a highly talented and experienced creative, who has already contributed to the success of two of BBC Studios’ biggest dramas over the years - EastEnders and Doctor Who. I am delighted to be welcoming him to BBC Studios at this exciting time.
BBC Studios, that launched as a commercial subsidiary in April 2017, produces a raft of multi-award-winning drama in Wales, including Doctor Who, War And Peace, Casualty and Russell T Davies’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Simon will be responsible for overseeing the drama series and serials team and productions based in Cardiff, building on their creative success and seeking out new opportunities, as BBC Studios can now make programmes for other broadcasters and channels in the UK and internationally, as well as the BBC.
He joins BBC Studios from Red Planet Pictures, where his roles included Head of Drama (Wales), Head of Development and most recently Executive Producer. His impressive credits include Death In Paradise, Crash, The Nativity, By Any Means, The Passing Bells, Dickensian and Hooten And The Lady.
Nick Betts, Director of Scripted, BBC Studios says: “Simon is a highly talented and experienced creative, who has already contributed to the success of two of BBC Studios’ biggest dramas over the years - EastEnders and Doctor Who. I am delighted to be welcoming him to BBC Studios at this exciting time.”
Simon Winstone says: “I am thrilled to be heading back to Wales and the brilliant team at Roath Lock. BBC Studios’ programmes are renowned for their quality and loved by audiences in the UK and around the world. I can’t wait to start building on their existing creative success and leading the team in developing even more compelling and outstanding drama.”
Simon will join BBC Studios on 15 May and will report directly into Nick Betts.
BBC Studios is the BBC’s main TV production arm, producing bold, British, creative content across a range of genres and specialisms. From Strictly Come Dancing, EastEnders and Rillington Place to Planet Earth II, Murdered By My Father and Child Of Our Time. BBC Studios launched as a wholly-owned commercial subsidiary in April 2017, able to make programmes for other broadcasters as well as the BBC, supporting the BBC’s public service mission and generating financial returns for licence fee payers.
BBC Studios has bases across the nations and regions of the UK, including Wales, so it can properly reflect and represent diverse voices and draw on creative talent from all around the country. The BBC’s Roath Lock Studios, home to BBC Studios’ Doctor Who, Casualty and Pobol Y Cwm, celebrated its fifth anniversary last month.
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