Following a global executive search, Natalie Edgar has been appointed Director of Television for BBC Worldwide Australia & New Zealand.
Currently the Deputy Controller of ABC1, Natalie will lead BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of channels in Australia and New Zealand and act as the editorial voice for BBC Worldwide’s content in this territory. As well as commissioning and acquiring content for the channels, Natalie will creatively lead the new TV formats production partnership with FremantleMedia in Australia and TV format production in New Zealand.
The role will lead the launch of BBC First, a premium BBC channel showcasing premiere British drama and comedy on Foxtel from August 2014. BBC First will augment the existing BBC channel portfolio of UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News in Australia and UKTV, BBC Knowledge and BBC World News on Sky TV in New Zealand.
Jon Penn, Managing Director of BBC Worldwide ANZ, said: ‘Natalie’s passion for content and her first-class editorial experience will ensure our television business is in the best possible hands, as we launch a premium BBC channel and raise our game in content production. ’
Natalie Edgar said: ‘I’m thrilled and very proud to be taking up the position of Director of Television at BBC Worldwide. It’s such an exciting time to be joining with the launch of BBC First next year and I’m looking forward to bringing more great British content to audiences in Australia and New Zealand.’
Natalie will start at BBC Worldwide in mid-January. She replaces Deirdre Brennan, who is leaving BBC Worldwide at the end of November.
Biography
Natalie Edgar has over twelve years experience within the television industry; ten years working in Australia, and two years working in the United Kingdom, covering a broad range of television programming and executive activities. From public broadcasting to commercial networks, free-to-air to DTT and subscription channels, Natalie has a breath of experience across a wide range of platforms and genres.
From her early days in the industry at TV1, she moved to the UK and accepted a position with Discovery overseeing the planning and presentation for two channels, which broadcast in both the UK and Europe.
Upon returning to Australia she took up the Program Manager role for Turner, managing content across both Cartoon Network and Boomerang, Australia and New Zealand.
In 2007, Natalie joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and relaunched their digital channel, ABC2.
Serving as Deputy Controller ABC1 for the past three and a half years, Natalie has fed into the channel’s strategic direction and was responsible for programming all adult content while delivering substantial reach and share.