Top BBC candidate to replace Charlotte Moore pursued by streaming giant to lead unscripted
Netflix UK has set its sights on the BBC’s Kate Phillips for a senior unscripted leadership role, Broadcast understands.
Several industry sources said the streamer has been courting Phillips as a priority candidate for an expanded unscripted leadership role, following the departure of Ben Kelly last month.
It is understood Netflix wants to make a “splashy” addition to the unscripted team and Phillips’ stock is high after delivering the likes of The Traitors and the reboot of Gladiators.
The SVoD giant announced a major coup in terms of recruiting from the PSBs earlier today, revealing it has hired Channel 4 scripted boss Ollie Madden to lead on UK film.
Netflix declined to comment on speculation linking it to Phillips. Its existing entertainment-focused team comprises director for unscripted series Daisy Lilley, unscripted series commissioner Sam Crack and manager of unscripted series Luke Macfarlane.
Netflix UK’s unscripted slate has ramped up in recent years with Kelly and Lilley at the helm, delivering shows such as Too Hot to Handle from TalkbackThames, Love is Blind: UK from CPL Productions, the recently recommissioned At Home with the Furys from Optomen and Celebrity Bear Hunt from Workerbee and TalkbackThames.
The streamer’s interest in Phillips could disrupt the BBC’s plans to fill the chief content officer position – the corporation’s top editorial role – for which Phillips is considered the favourite. She is currently acting up in the post on an interim basis.
Phillips has been the BBC’s unscripted director since 2022, with overall responsibility for the full range of non-scripted content, including entertainment, factual entertainment and events, docs, specialist factual, arts and daytime.
She has previously held major roles including acting controller of BBC1, controller of entertainment commissioning and creative director of formats for BBC Worldwide.
Search firms Grace Blue and Ibison are managing the selection process to identify the BBC’s next chief content officer, after Charlotte Moore announced her exit for Sony Pictures Television and Left Bank Pictures in February.
The BBC declined to comment.
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