Matt Forde Replacing Jane Tranter As Head Of BBC Worldwide Productions

As had been widely reported, Jane Tranter, Head of BBC Worldwide Productions and Adjacent Productions, is officially stepping down from her position to launch her own production company. She will be replaced by Matt Forde, BBC Worldwide’s EVP TV Sales & Digital Distribution, who now will lead both LA-based production units. Tranter will leave her post August 14.

Forde’s new title will be EVP Content Production, Sales and Distribution. He will report to Ann Sarnoff, the incoming President of BBC Worldwide North America. The corporate restructure will see Forde bring production, development, sales and distribution under one roof.

“Since arriving in the U.S., Jane has systematically grown and diversified our production base in Los Angeles,” said Herb Scannell, President of BBC Worldwide North America. “She energized Dancing With The Stars, which concluded its 20th season this year; took the company into scripted development and production with Da Vinci’s Demons and Getting On; and grew our network of partners by building relationships with highly regarded cable channels. We wish her the very best in her new venture.”

Tranter has led BBC Worldwide Productions since January 2009, when she moved from Controller of Fiction at the BBC to create a scripted and unscripted production entity for BBC Worldwide. Under Tranter’s watch, the unit has produced some 870 hours of programming for the BBC, including reformatting Top Gear for History and ABC’s Dancing With The Stars. In 2011, Tranter launched Adjacent Productions, with a focus on new formats and original material, including Life Below Zero for National Geographic, Ladies Of London for Bravo and Lost in Transmission for History.

Tranter will launch her new venture with Julie Gardner, the exec producer who masterminded ratings juggernaut Doctor Who with Russell T. Davies and has overseen both BBC Worldwide Productions and Adjacent Productions scripted slates since 2009. Among her exec producer credits are Starz’s Da Vinci’s Demons and HBO’s Getting On.

Forde has been with BBC Worldwide since 1998. He has been key in forging U.S. co-productions with the likes of  Sherlock, Top Of The Lake and The Honorable Woman. Most recently, he brought the BBC and PBS together for a three-year co-production deal that will result in as many as 10 factual specials per year, such as Big Blue Live and Waking Giants. Forde also has developed strong relationships with Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime on The Wrong Mans, Rev and Misfits.