BBC Four Channel Editor Cassian Harrison Steps Down To Take On Global Role At BBC Studios

BBC Four channel editor Cassian Harrison is stepping down after seven years to take on a nine-month attachment commissioning for BBC Studios’ international TV channels including BBC Earth and BBC Brit.

Harrison will this month become the senior vice president of commissioning and content global services, reporting to Paul Dempsey, BBC Studios’ president of global distribution.

BBC Two controller Patrick Holland will cover for Harrison during his attachment. The BBC currently expects him to return once his spell at BBC Studios is complete.

BBC Studios CEO Tim Davie said: “Cassian’s extensive experience and excellent track record in creating and commissioning great British television will help supercharge our offering to international viewers as we look to take the premium, original content for which the BBC is world-renowned, to an even wider global audience.”

Harrison pioneered slow TV during his time with BBC Four and commissioned films including Bros: After The Screaming Stops. BBC director of content Charlotte Moore said: “Cassian is an original thinker with an insatiable curiosity and creative edge. Under his leadership, BBC Four has flourished and achieved continued success.”

Harrison added: “I’m hugely looking forward to helping BBC Studios shape our offer to global audiences. I’m tremendously proud of BBC Four’s continuing success, and it’ll be brilliant to be bringing the BBC’s distinctive voices and unrivalled quality to viewers around the world in similarly original and innovative ways.”

Prior to joining BBC Four in 2013, Harrison spent five years as a BBC commissioning editor for science, natural history and history.