BBC Names New Docs Chief

The BBC has unveiled its new documentary boss.

Former Sky docs chief Poppy Dixon will take the reins of the biggest job in British TV documentaries, replacing Clare Sillery, who exited earlier this year after a lengthy stint.

Dixon said it it is “an enormous honour to join this world-class team, and to help shape its future through this pivotal time for the organisation.”

Dixon is a highly-rated name in British docs having run the Sky Documentaries channel to great effect, winning numerous awards and having an outsized impact during her five-year run.

Her big hits at Sky included Lockerbie, Boyzone: No Matter What, Libby, Are you Home Yet? and Misha and the Wolves, amongst others.

She takes over a team that produces far more hours of documentaries per year including Murder: 24/7, Once Upon A Time In Space, Ambulance and Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams.

Starting later in the summer, she will report to factual boss Fiona Campbell, who said her “creative energy, editorial leadership and proven track record in delivering standout documentary programming make her ideally placed to drive this genre forward, ensuring we continue to offer audiences ambitious, innovative and world-class documentaries.”

Dixon’s hire comes after a revamp of content boss Kate Phillips’ leadership team that has seen the creation of a Director of Factual role, filled by Campbell, and a Director of Entertainment, taken by former Universal International Studios executive Ed Havard.