“After over a decade, I’m thrilled to be back at the BBC with a new global perspective and joining BBC Studios in a creative leadership role at such an exciting time”, said Karl Warner.

BBC Studios Productions (BBCS) has hired Karl Warner, formerly head of youth and digital at C4, to establish and head up a new creative unit.

The unit will sit within BBCS’ recently-formed Global Entertainment business, targeting premium longform and digital formats for the UK and international markets.

As executive vice president of UK entertainment and digital development, a role he will take up in November, Warner will lead a new team whose remit will be creating new IP and formats for the BBC as well as other UK and global platforms.

Warner’s brief will also include overseeing the creation of new labels and creatively supporting existing labels such as the recently launched Rebel Rebel Pictures, to support their growth and establish and expand BBC Studios’ content portfolio, ensuring it continues to produce and retain developed IP for the BBC Group.

His unit will also partner with BBC Studios Global Entertainment teams around the world, particularly in the US, to reimagine international ideas for the UK market that will be produced by the new Entertainment production business led by Suzy Lamb, MD for UK Entertainment. He will report into global entertainment managing director, Matt Forde.

Forde said: “I’m delighted that someone of Karl’s experience and inventiveness has joined BBC Studios to help us supercharge our ambitions. Establishing a flexible hub of creative talent to develop UK hit shows across multiple platforms with an innovative, global, and future-looking approach for audiences has been a priority since setting up Global Entertainment. I can’t wait to see what he and the new team working across the UK and world create.”