Netflix snaps up BBC’s Syeda Irtizaali

Netflix has appointed the BBC’s interim unscripted director Syeda Irtizaali to lead its unscripted slate in the UK and Ireland.

She will take up the role of director of unscripted series, replacing Ben Kelly, who left the streamer in May. Broadcast revealed Netflix was eyeing Irtizaali as a leading candidate, among others, at last month’s Edinburgh TV Festival.

At the BBC, Irtizaali has been overseeing entertainment, documentaries, factual entertainment, specialist factual, arts, daytime and Storyville, including securing and managing tentpoles The Traitors and Destination X, since the departure of Charlotte Moore.

Before joining the BBC in 2020, she was a commissioning editor at for entertainment at Channel 4, responsible for commissioning shows like The Million Pound Drop, The Last Leg, and The Big Fat Quiz of The Year.

She started her career at BBC News and has worked at indies including Monkey, Planet 24, Diverse, At It and Brighter.

Irtizaali said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Netflix and Anne Mensah’s incredible team of commissioners here in the UK.”

At Netflix UK, she will oversee a team that comprises director for unscripted series Daisy Lilley, unscripted series commissioner Sam Crack and manager of unscripted series Luke Macfarlane.

Her UK unscripted slate includes Too Hot to Handle and Battle Camp from TalkbackThames, Love is Blind: UK from CPL, Lifted and 12 Yard’s Cheat: Unfinished Business, and At Home with the Furys from Optomen.

Before stepping into her interim BBC role, Irtizaali spent two years as editor of unscripted following a major commissioning restructure at the broadcaster.

Most recently, she has been overseeing a new development briefing for indies, seeking original IP pitches as part of the partnership with NBCU.

BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips said in an internal email to staff, seen by Broadcast: “During her time with us Syeda has made a huge impact – she was an invaluable part of the success of The Traitors UK and, more recently, Destination X, the biggest unscripted title of 2025.

“She’s also been a driving force behind our partnership with NBCUniversal and a brilliant editorial leader across the genre.

“It’s been wonderful working with Syeda over the past five and a half years. As an entertainment commissioner, an editor for channels and most recently as our interim director of unscripted she has utterly delivered with great energy, insight and instinct.”

Phillips said the BBC would announce an interim plan for her successor shortly.

In a separate email, also seen by Broadcast, Irtizaali said it “feels like the right moment” to leave the BBC.

“It has been one of the greatest privileges of my career to work with you all across the broad and diverse spectrum of unscripted – a very special and vital part of the BBC,” she added.

“Much is said about the importance of public service broadcast, but what you do here matters more than ever. You take risks, you tell the stories no one else can and you serve the nation in ways only the BBC can do.”

She added that she would be around “for a little while yet” and leave “knowing unscripted is in excellent shape, in the safest of hands”.

“My deepest thanks to Kate [Phillips] who has been not only the best leader, champion and mentor but also a true friend,” she added.

“To the rest of you, especially the genre heads, thank you for being brilliant, brave, occasionally outrageous, and never, ever boring.”