BBC appointed Nick Lee as Head of Acquisitions

BBC tapped Nick Lee as Head of Acquisitions, where he will lead the team responsible for acquiring TV series and feature films for publication on BBC iPlayer and for transmission on the BBC TV channel portfolio. Lee will start in his new role in November 2025, and Sue Deeks will remain in post until Lee starts, when she will take on a new, more focused 3-day role as Head of Pre-Buy Acquisitions.

Lee will be the strategic lead for programme acquisition at the BBC, ensuring that BBC iPlayer and Channels have something for everyone and the greatest possible range of quality programming that will deliver value to audiences of all ages. Nick’s appointment will ensure that the BBC remains a key UK player for acquired series (both scripted and unscripted) and acquired feature films moving forward. Dan McGolpin, Director, iPlayer and Channels at the BBC, said: “Nick is a highly experienced dealmaker with a keen eye for spotting compelling TV from around the world, and I’m really excited that we’ll be getting the benefit of his great energy and know-how in leading the Programme Acquisition team.”

Lee added: “This feels like a vocational calling for me… To be acquiring for the BBC, shaping the market with this team, and working with the inimitable Sue Deeks is completely exhilarating.”

Lee joins the BBC Content division from BBC Studios, where he was Commercial Director of Scripted, leading strategic changes and key investments in titles such as "Tommy and Tuppence," "Mint," "2026," and "The Detection Club." Before that, Nick was at Channel 4 as Head of Acquisitions and International, where he reshaped the acquisitions strategy, securing major titles like "The Handmaid’s Tale," "Fargo," and "The Great," while driving initiatives like True Crime on 4 and expanding the VOD catalogue. The BBC has a long history in bringing a broad range of acquired programming to its audiences - such as "Killing Eve," "King & Conqueror," "The Narrow Road to the Deep North," "The Bridge," "Colin From Accounts" and "The Americas," alongside being the largest commissioner of original homegrown programmes from across the UK.