Lucy Lumsden named BBC Controller of Comedy Commissioning

The BBC has named Lucy Lumsden as its new Controller of Comedy Commissioning.
The newly created role will see comedy and entertainment commissioning separated for the first time.
Lumsden takes on responsibility for commissioning comedy from both in-house and the independent sector.
Reporting directly to Jana Bennett, BBC Director of Televison, Lumsden has a seat on the TV Management Board alongside Jon Beazley, recently named as Controller Entertainment Commissioning and responsible for the UK's largest entertainment slate.
Lumsden has developed, commissioned and worked with the best in comedy independent production to produce an impressive array of huge comedy hits, including 'The Worst Week of My Life' for BBC One, 'The Catherine Tate Show' for BBC Two, and 'Monkey Dust' and 'Nighty Night' for BBC Three.
Lumsden said: "These are exciting times for comedy and I'm passionate about maintaining quality, risk-taking and aiming high with ideas to serve our audiences across all four channels.
"I'm really looking forward to building the commissioning team and working closely with the wealth of talent from both in-house production and the independent sector to push comedy forward into uncharted waters."
Jana Bennett added: "Comedy is a unique genre and key to the BBC's future. Not only does it make us laugh but it touches audiences in a special and distinctive way.
"Lucy has done so much in the past few years with the independent sector to build the BBC's unchallenged reputation for comedy that I am in no doubt that she, working with our brilliant in-house and independent teams, will continue to find the best programmes.
"Her clear-sightedness is highly respected by all that work with her – be they channel controllers, writers or production teams."
Lumsden began her career in television in 1992 working at the 'Comic Strip' for BBC Two.
Until 1998, Lumsden worked across a number of drama serials and documentaries.
For the past seven years, Lumsden has worked with the independent comedy team at the BBC on shows including 'Bedtime' (Hat Trick); 'Human Remains' (Baby Cow); 'Beast' (Talkback); 'Doubletake' (Tiger Aspect); 'Look Around You' (Talkback); 'Sensitive Skin' (Baby Cow); 'Supernova' (Hartswood/Fox); 'The Lenny Henry Show' (Tiger Aspect) and 'Big Impression' (Vera).
(GB)