EXCLUSIVE: BBC Studios Natural History Unit has poached Netflix-backed indie Freeborne Media’s Laura Harris to run its development team alongside newly-promoted Jess Colman. The pair replace …
-backed indie Freeborne Media’s Laura Harris to run its development team alongside newly-promoted Jess Colman.that Boyland is remaining with the unit to series-produce an unannounced landmark series, which it is understood will be revealed shortly.
Harris returns to BBC Studios following two-and-a-half years away, first with Seadog TV and then with exec James Honeyborne’s Netflix-backed studio Freeborne Media, where she was also Head of Development and worked on the likes of Netflix double Colman is promoted from Development Executive and has helped shape projects including forthcoming BBC One landmarkShe is a former Head of Development at fellow Bristol natural history producer True to Nature.
NHU CEO Jonny Keeling said: “Innovation and creativity are at the heart of the Natural History Unit and to have both Jess and Laura combining their skills and experience to lead the development team will ensure we continue to deliver compelling wildlife content of the highest quality, telling original stories with emotional impact.”
Colman hailed an “exciting time of growth” for the unit and Harris said she “hopes [the pair will] build on its creative success.”The unit recently opened a U.S. hub and has won commissions from a wealth of streamers and U.S. networks in the recent past, along with continuing to pick up BBC landmarks.