BBC Comedy Head Tanya Qureshi Moves To Drama Team
Change afoot as the UK’s Creative Cities Conference (CCC) gets underway this morning – BBC Head of Comedy Tanya Qureshi is swapping her role for one in Lindsay Salt’s drama division. Qureshi will take a Commissioning Editor role, overseeing a slate of shows including Sally Wainwright’s forthcoming Riot Women and Dennis Kelly series Waiting For The Out (w/t), which was confirmed yesterday two months after Deadline first revealed it was being adapted. We understand Jon Petrie’s BBC Comedy unit will not replace her. Qureshi joined the BBC four years ago and has since ordered shows such as Dreaming Whilst Black, The Outlaws, Am I Being Unreasonable?, Amandaland and Ludwig. She was previously at I May Destroy You maker Various Artists Limited and has worked in commissioning at UKTV and Channel 4. Her new role begins at the end of this month. The UK TV industry is this week in Bradford, where the annual CCC is being held, with the likes of YouTube’s Alison Lomax, Amazon MGM’s Marjeey Chhokar, All3Media’s Jane Turton, ITV Studios’ Julian Bellamy and BBC Director General Tim Davie are all scheduled to speak.
Anchor Bay Buys Jamin Scotti & Nick Funess Films
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LA’s Anchor Bay Entertainment has acquired a pair of genre films, one from Jamin Scotti and the other from Nick Funess. Scotti’s Artificial Flowers is based on a play by Emily Charouhas and follows two Los Angeles writers unraveling their psyches over a single evening. Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered, written and directed by Funess, uses slasher tropes to satirize the anxiety of modern adulthood. “Both Artificial Flowers and Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered are proof that genre films are anything but formulaic,” said Anchor Bay Entertainment CEO Thomas Zambeck. “These works challenge expectations – visually, structurally, and emotionally. They embody the spirit of fearless storytelling and the power of independent vision.” Both are planned for releases on digital and physical releases later this year, alongside screenings and Q&As.
EXCLUSIVE:
Co-Parenting Comedy ‘Popular Problems’ Set At SVT
Popular Problems, a six-part comedy series from Banijay’s Filmlance International, has been ordered at Swedish pubcaster SVT. Billed as a “quirky and honest comedy series exploring the absurd complexity of continuing a relationship when you’ve decided to breakup,” it will star Sissela Benn and Jonatan Unge as a couple who have to deal with “the bittersweet reality of co-parenting with someone you’re no longer in love with.” Benn and Unge are the creators and will write alongside Isabella Rodriguez and Andreas Nygård. Ernst De Geer (Hypnosen) is the director. Filming is due to begin in Malmö this spring ahead of a 2026 premiere on SVT. Sigrid Nordenhake will produce for Filmlance, which is part of Banijay Nordic. SVT Humour is the commissioning unit, with Julia Törnberg and Mats Grimberg serving as executive producers. The show, which marks Fallen maker Filmlance’s first move into comedy, will be co-produced with Film i Skåne and Joakim Rang. “Sissela Benn and Jonatan Unge are two of Sweden’s most-loved comedic voices, and this series brings their sharp wit to the forefront,” said Filmlance Managing Director Hanne Palmqvist. “Popular Problems marks our move into original comedy, and the fact they chose to partner with Filmlance is testament to the creative trust we have with talent as we broaden our portfolio, with a relatable, character-driven series that is as hilarious, as it is heartfelt.”
UFA Finds Ute Biernat Replacements
Germany’s UFA has found its replacements for the long serving UFA Show & Factual CEO Ute Biernat. Vanessa Schmit and Sascha Rustmeier will take over as Managing Directors of the UFA unit, effective July 1. This comes after UFA announced Biernat was stepping down after 25 years, remaining with the company in a consulting capacity. “With Vanessa Schmit and Sascha Rustmeier, we have found the ideal successors for our strong entertainment unit,” said Sascha Schwingel, CEO of UFA. He noted Schmit’s creative expertise and knowledge of the reality TV genre and Rustmeier’s abilities in commercial and production, new business and branded entertainment. Schmit most recently worked in RTL’s reality division as Executive Director and has worked at Warner Bros. in Germany, having begun her career at Endemol. Rustmeier was most recently COO of RTL Studios, and prior to that was Head of Production. He also worked at Endemol Shine and is a Cannes Golden Lion winner for Das Große Osterhasen Rasen.