APPLE HIRES ALISON KIRKHAM AS HEAD OF UNSCRIPTED

BBC controller of Factual Commissioning, Alison Kirkham will be joining the Apple TV Plus UK team as Head of Unscripted. She will report to European Creative Director and former Channel 4 Topper, Jay Hunt, and is scheduled to begin working this summer. Upon starting her new role, Kirkham will be responsible for overseeing unscripted original series and film projects for Europe.+. BBC Director of Content, Charlotte Moore announced the news to staff in an internal email. “I would like to thank Alison for leading Factual during a period of such impressive creative success,”  Moore said. “She will be missed by us all and I hope you will join me in wishing her the very best in her new role.”

Kirkham is one of the first major hires for Apple’s U.K. team since Film Producer, Joe Oppenheimer joined in 2018. The job offer rose because the platform, similarly to other streamers, hopes to expand its non-scripted output. Apple’s non-scripted commissions include “Prehistoric Planet” and “Long Way Up” with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman.

Kirkham first joined BBC in 2005 as an Executive Producer. She was head of the commission for formats and features before taking on the role of factual chief in 2015. During her tenure, the pubcaster picked up 40 BAFTAs for its factual content, and aired highlights like “Planet Earth II” and “Blue Planet II,” “Ambulance,” “Exodus,” “Hospital,” “Muslims Like Us,” and “Race Across the World.” “Her strategic vision and skills as a program maker have been a huge asset to the department and we are all very grateful to her for the dedication and commitment she has shown to high-quality distinctive content right across the breadth of factual genres,”  Moore said.

Until a replacement for Kirkham is found, Carla-Maria Lawson, BBC’s Controller of Daytime, will look after the events division as well as Catherine Catton’s popular factual & factual entertainment team, and Clare Sillery, Head of Docs, will oversee Jack Bootle’s natural history and science division.