The BBC has named Fiona Campbell the new boss of its youth-skewing online channel, BBC Three, replacing outgoing controller Damian Kavanagh, who is leaving in the new year to run Endemol Shine-owned producer Tiger Aspect.
Campbell has been heading up the documentary unit at BBC Studios, the U.K. pubcaster’s production division. She also worked at BBC Three previously as its head of documentaries and features.
BBC Three transitioned from a free-to-air broadcast channel to an online service in 2016 and has since become a home for challenging factual series and breakout comedies such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag.”
“BBC Three has always had its finger on the pulse of what young audiences want and the content represents the beating heart of innovation, risk-taking and creativity at the BBC,” said Campbell, who starts as controller in the new year.
She added: “This is an incredibly exciting time for the channel as it invests in talent, expands into entertainment formats and continues to experiment across the key areas of comedy and factual.“
Prior to landing at BBC Studios, Campbell was digital director for BBC News and has been head of current affairs for the pubcaster. She was the standout candidate for the BBC Three controller job, said Charlotte Moore, BBC director of content.
“We want to build on BBC Three’s brilliant programming successes with titles like ‘Fleabag,’ ‘This Country,’ ‘Killing Eve,’ ‘Clique,’ ‘Life and Death Row’ and ‘Stacey Dooley Investigates,’ and we are convinced that the exciting ideas that Fiona presented will make sure BBC Three continues to be the home of young British program making talent and ideas,” Moore said.