Sarah Asante Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

BBC Comedy Director Jon Petrie has unveiled his new-look comedy commissioning team following a spate of recent departures, with AppleTV+’s Trying producer Emma Lawson joining alongside E4 digital commissioner Navi Lamba and Roughcut TV’s Seb Barwell.

Marta Balaga “We need to be cheerleaders, not gatekeepers,” said UKTV’s commissioning editor Sarah Asante, during a discussion at Mipcom on diversity and inclusion in the TV industry. “I have always heard that phrase: ‘gatekeepers.’ Barriers to access is a massive issue in this industry. Everyone trying to get in has a story about ‘having to know someone, having to be the son of a CEO or the daughter of a manager.’ That’s true, but there is a good number of commissioners of my cohort, who have my focus on how to tell the best stories from the biggest range of people.” “This industry is always saying we need more content, but then they ask: ‘Oh, where are your credits?’ You don’t live up to what you say.”

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, UKTV hires Sarah Asante to ramp up its comedy ambitions; Olga Hellsing and Thomas Douglas join the “Spencer” cast; APC sells “Keeping Faith” season three in key territories; Lionsgate Play and Telkomsel partner in Indonesia; and Channel 4 serves up something new with “Cook Clever, Waste Less with Prue & Rupy.”UKTV has hired longtime BBC vet Sarah Asante to ramp up its scripted comedy division, reporting to UKTV head of scripted Pete Thornton.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC’s head of comedy Kate Daughton and comedy commissioner Sarah Asante are both leaving the British broadcaster after more than five years, Deadline hears.