 | Press ReleasesBBC's comedy chief, Jon Plowman, returns to programme-making after more than a decade at the top |
Award winning BBC comedy boss Jon Plowman – the man behind hits such as Absolutely Fabulous, French And Saunders, The Office, The League Of Gentleman, and Little Britain – is to step down later this year and return to making shows for the BBC. Plowman, who took over BBC comedy in the early Nineties, leaves behind a string of smash hits and a generation of new comics and writers whose rise he has helped fashion. He brought into prominence household names such as Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, David Walliams, French And Saunders, Fry And Laurie, and many more, winning along the way four BATFAs, three Royal Television Society (RTS) awards and several international accolades including a Golden Globe for The Office. In 2006, he was presented with the RTS Judges Award for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcasting. He will Executive Produce a number of new shows for the BBC including Beautiful People, a colourful new family comedy by Jonathan Harvey (Gimme Gimme Gimme) based on the memoir Nasty by Simon Doonan (Creative Director of Barney's in New York), and Psychoville, a dark character comedy mystery in which different characters are strangely linked starring Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith (The League Of Gentlemen), both for BBC Two. He will also be working with BBC Worldwide on a number of potential international versions of BBC comedies as well as Executive Producing a big Climate Change comedy project for BBC One. Jon Plowman said: "I'm not gone yet but after 14 successful years I have decided to return to the coalface and give someone else a go at one of the best jobs in television. I hope to carry on my relationship with the BBC and to continue to make great stuff both here and elsewhere. "I could not have done my job without the talent and skill of the writers, artists, producers, directors, production teams and back room support of everyone in the department who have allowed me to do it. "Even with the upsurge of the indie sector, in-house BBC production remains the best place in the world to make comedy and I am pleased to have been here and pleased to continue making shows here. The BBC is respected for its serious content but it is loved for its comedy and long may that continue." Jana Bennett, Director, BBC Vision, said: "Jon's legacy leaves an indelible mark on British comedy. He's been responsible for some of the nation's best-loved programmes during his tenure, and I'm delighted that he will continue to produce for us in the future." Alan Yentob, the BBC's Creative Director, added: "Jon's unique ability to spot the next big thing has changed the face of British Comedy, as recognised by the RTS Judges Award for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcasting. It's fantastic that he can now focus on providing new shows for the BBC." Jon Plowman – Biography Jon is best known as the producer of Absolutely Fabulous, French And Saunders and The Vicar Of Dibley, as well as a large number of other comedy hits. Jon began his career in theatre at the Royal Court where he was assistant to Lindsay Anderson. He then moved into broadcasting at Granada and, from there, moved to the BBC in 1980 where he produced Harty, Pop Quiz and from 1985 to 1987 he produced Wogan (thrice weekly). In 1989 Jon co-produced with Richard Curtis the seven-hour telethon of original comedy and documentary for Comic Relief which raised over £25million and was the start of a huge fundraising effort which he produced again in 1991. Since then, Jon has produced, amongst other shows, Saturday Matters With Sue Lawley (BBC One), Murder Most Horrid (BBC Two/Three), French And Saunders, Fry And Laurie, Smith And Jones, Bottom and Absolutely Fabulous starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley which has received far too many awards and huge viewing figures. In 1994, Jon was made Head of Comedy Entertainment at the BBC, but still managed to find time to produce new series of French And Saunders, Fry And Laurie, The Vicar Of Dibley, Absolutely Fabulous and the spin-off, Mirrorball. He has also been the Executive Producer of The Office, Little Britain, Shooting Stars, Ruby Wax, The Stand Up Show, Ben Elton, Comedy Nation, Goodness Gracious Me, In The Red, Families At War, The League of Gentlemen, People Like Us, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Ted and Alice, The Thick Of It, The Late Edition, The Comic Side Of 7 Days, The Mark Steel Lectures, Absolute Power, Broken News, the first Flashmob and Comic Relief. In addition he was responsible for The Office 2003 Christmas specials which won at the RTS and BAFTA, plus the BBC's first awards at the Los Angeles Golden Globes held in January 2004 and a Peabody Award. Jon, who was made BBC Head of Comedy in 2005 following an amalgamation of the departments, looked after the multi-BAFTA award-winning Little Britain, Love Soup, Live Girls Present Dog Town, The Thick Of It, The Late Edition, The Calais Rules, HR, Hyperdrive, two series of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's Extras and Jennifer Saunders' new comedy Jam And Jerusalem. In 2006, Jon was presented with the RTS Judges Award for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcasting. He is a Fellow of the RTS and a Fellow of the RSA. TM |  | | |
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