RACHEL BENDAVID JOINS LIONSGATE AND BBC STUDIOS’ LA PARTNERSHIP

Rachel Bendavid has been named Head of Scripted Programming for the Lionsgate and BBC Studios Los Angeles partnership. She will be responsible for overseeing the operations and content initiatives of the television partnership, as well as shepherding the development and production of its programming slate.

The partnership was formed to identify, co-develop and co-fund scripted formats and original intellectual property for the United States market. Within a year of its launch, it has already received pilot orders for its US adaptations of hit BBC series from Fox for “This Country” and CBS for “Ghosts”.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Lionsgate and BBC Studios LA family and to be working with global content leaders from both sides of the pond. Lionsgate and BBC Studios are homes to deep and rich content portfolios and talent relationships, which makes this a very exciting and refreshing new venture for me. I can’t wait to continue to elevate this partnership and bring even more great programming to television audiences,”  Bendavid declared.

Meanwhile, Scott Herbst, EVP, Television & Head of Development at Lionsgate, said: “Rachel is an incredibly talented executive with a strong track record and an impeccable creative eye for premium, must-see content. Her leadership skills, passion for television and expert knowledge of the business will be invaluable in leading our partnership with BBC Studios and creating more great series for our content pipeline”.

Lastly, Valerie Bruce, General Manager, LA Productions at BBC Studios, commented: “Rachel has a real knowledge of and passion for distinct British voices. Based on this, along with her deep experience at ABC and Fox, and her strong connections within the industry, she is well positioned to build our scripted partnership and continue to develop exciting opportunities for the UK creative community in the United States”.

Before joining Lionsgate, Bendavid served as Vice President of Drama Programming for ABC Entertainment, where she oversaw numerous hit shows, including “Once Upon a Time” and “The Good Doctor”. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Drama Development for Fox.