BBC Studios Productions has appointed Optomen’s Mel Bezalel to lead its new central development and design team.Sitting within the recently formed Unscripted Productions, the new team has been created as part of the newly formed Development division headed up by Karl Warner, EVP of BBC Studios Entertainment and Digital Development.Led by Bezalel, the new team will “creatively and strategically” support idea generation and pitching across the division and deliver assets and pitching materials for formats and new IP.Around the central development and design team will also be a new reality label, a new factual entertainment label and the existing mixed entertainment label Rebel Rebel Pictures. Together, they form Warner’s new Entertainment development division, focused on new IP and formats for the BBC and other UK and global platforms as well as reimagining international ideas for the British market. Shows that get greenlit in the UK will be produced by BBC Studios Entertainment Productions, led by its Managing Director Suzy Lamb.Bezalel joins BBC Studios from Optomen, where she’s currently Creative Director of Development. Prior to this, she was a Commissioning Editor at Channel 4 for three years where she developed and commissioned new reality formats and popular factual shows. Her credits there included The Honesty Box, E4’s biggest new launch on streaming since 2021; The Underdog: Josh Must Win; Married at First Sight specials and podcast; Vicky Pattison: My Deep Fake Sex Tape and Sam Thompson: Is This ADHD? among others.In the independent sector, Bezalel was previously Director of Development at RDF (Banijay) and held senior roles at Twenty Twenty and Me & You Productions. Her development and production credits include Lodgers For Codgers (Channel 4), 100 Year Old Driving School (ITV), Shop Well For Less (BBC One), Rock Til You Drop (BBC Two), Karl Pilkington: The Moaning of Life (Sky), Hoff the Record (UKTV), GPs: Behind Closed Doors (Channel 5) and The Met (BBC One).Mel Bezalel says: “It’s a real privilege to be joining this brilliant new era at BBC Studios; the creative momentum and vision led by Suzy and Karl is so exciting. In this role, I’ll be collaborating across the global business, creating partnerships and pushing creative boundaries with my new team and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”Karl Warner, Executive Vice President of BBC Studios Entertainment and Digital Development says: “Mel is one of the best creatives and collaborators I’ve met. She has a sharp strategic mind and her experience on both sides of the table, in Development and Commissioning, means she’s the perfect person to help bring our new, ambitious strategy to life.”Bezalel will report to Warner and takes up her role in June.
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