BBC tweaks factual commissioning team under Kate Phillips

Kate Phillips

The BBC has unveiled the latest tweaks to its senior factual team, working under unscripted chief Kate Phillips.

The new-look team sees Jack Bootle becoming head of commissioning for specialist factual, leading on science, natural history, history and religion. He was most recently head of commissioning for science & natural history, working on shows such as The Green Planet, AIDS: The Unheard Tapes and Universe.

Daisy Scalchi and Simon Young will be head of religion & ethics and head of history, respectively, while Tom Coveney will become head of science. Sreya Biswas will become head of natural history.

Each will lead on commissioning for their respective genre area, in consultation with Bootle and under the wider unscripted commissioning strategy.

Scalchi will also work closely with the BBC’s radio, news and the Nations teams to ensure “a joined up approach” to religion and ethics content across the BBC.

Elsewhere, Catherine Catton has been confirmed as head of commissioning for factual entertainment & events, taking on responsibility for the Events content previously overseen by Carla-Maria Lawson, with Clare Mottershead appointed lead commissioning editor of factual entertainment & events.

The rest of the team includes Clare Sillery, head of commissioning for documentaries, who is also taking on responsibility for all single docs previously on the fact ent slate, and Suzy Klein continuing as head of commissioning for arts and classical music.

The team will work alongside the other heads in Phillips’ team, including Rob Unsworth, who was unveiled as head of daytime & early peak earlier this month, joining Kalpna Patel Knight, who leads on entertainment.