Former unscripted director set to succeed Charlotte Moore imminently
The BBC is on the brink of naming Kate Phillips as its chief content officer and successor to Charlotte Moore, Broadcast understands.
Phillips has been acting up in the broadcaster’s top editorial post on an interim basis since March, when Moore announced her departure for Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television (SPT).
Phillips is a longstanding and very well-liked BBC exec and there has been a sense of momentum building behind her during the recruitment process.
Sources who know her say Phillips is in tune with the tastes of ordinary licence fee payers and praise her exceptional soft skills, flagging that she is particularly good with talent.
It is thought that confirmation of her appointment could arrive as soon as today.
The BBC has not taken Moore’s departure as an opportunity to reshape the role, which means Phillips will inherit a vast remit: she will have responsibility for all network TV and radio output, all channels and iPlayer, BBC Sounds, Children’s and Education content, and Sport. She will also have a permanent role on the BBC executive committee.
It is understood Phillips saw off stiff competition from high-profile execs including iPlayer and channels chief Dan McGolpin, who was regarded as another strong internal candidate.
Other names who are thought to have had detailed conversations about the role Nat Geo executive vice-president Tom McDonald and Twofour chief creative officer David Brindley, though the identity of the final few candidates is not totally clear.
Major industry names such as BBC Studios’ Zai Bennett, Banijay UK boss Patrick Holland and Netflix UK chief Anne Mensah are understood to have been sounded out but were not part of the final process.
The BBC declined to comment when approached by Broadcast.
Phillips has been unscripted director since 2022, overseeing all the broadcaster’s non-scripted content, including entertainment, factual entertainment and events, docs, specialist factual, arts and daytime, and marshalling a string of hits including The Traitors and the Gladiators reboot.
Prior to taking on this role, she was director of entertainment commissioning for five years.
Phillips is an exec in demand. Earlier this month, it emerged that Netflix UK was eyeing her for a senior unscripted leadership role, with several industry sources saying the streamer considered her to be its priority candidate to take up the position.
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