Thursday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Carina Walker named Amazon MGM Studios YA chief

Amazon MGM Studios has named Carina Walker as its head of YA.

Walker returned to Amazon in 2021 as a development exec, having originally joined the company in 2013. She has worked on shows including Off Campus and Every Year After, and before that The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

She takes on the role vacated by Alex Weinberger in June, with her appointment filling out Amazon MGM Studios’ global TV chief Peter Friedlander’s new-look team.

Andy Weil joined earlier this week to lead comedy, while Kara Smith heads up drama, Blair Fetter oversees worldbuilding and franchises, Jenn Levy covers unscripted and Melissa Wolfe is across animation.

BBC orders Bad Wolf drama

Bad Wolf has landed a follow-up to BBC1 period drama The Other Bennet Sister, based on the forthcoming Janice Hadlow novel The Other Elliot Sister.

The Other Bennet Sister, which is returning for a three-part Christmas special, followed the oft-overlooked sister in the Bennet family from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The Other Elliot Sister is expected to do the same for one of the two sisters of protagonist Anne Elliot in Austen’s last novel Persuasion.

BBC drama director Lindsay Salt revealed the commission at the Edinburgh TV Festival, pointing to the success of the first series, which aired in March, and the performance of its lead actor Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet. Read more

Banijay confirms Holland to run UK 

Patrick Holland has named leader of the expanded Banijay Entertainment’s UK operations, effectively becoming the boss of the indies that formerly operated under the All3Media banner.

Confirming Broadcast International’s story in July, Holland reports directly to Banijay Entertainment chief executive Marco Bassetti and his leadership responsibilities span the “majority of the combined UK portfolio, which comprises around 40 creative labels in its entirety”, according to Banijay.

It is not clear which of the group’s UK labels do not fall under Holland’s remit, but Broadcast understands that entertainment giant Studio Lambert is one of the indies in question.

A Banijay spokesperson told Broadcast: “We are still in early stages of integration so are not commenting further on structure at this stage.” Read more