The current chief operating officer of BBC England Alice Webb has been appointed director of BBC Children’s. She will supervise the Salford-based department from late February.
Webb, who played a key role in establishing the BBC at MediaCityUK, will replace Joe Godwin and this will be her first content role.
She will oversee CBeebies and CBBC while reporting to BBC England director Peter Salmon. Sources have indicated that there was strong competition for the post, with director general Tony Hall and Danny Cohen, director of television, being involved in the interview process.
“BBC Children’s makes the best content for children in the world, and it’s a real privilege to be asked to lead such an important part of the BBC, particularly in these fast moving, digital times,” said Webb in a statement.
Other names linked to the vacancy were Michael Carrington, the former CBeebies boss who now runs Zodiak Media-backed in The Foundation and former Disney and London Live exec Jonathan Boseley.
She joined the BBC a decade ago from PA Consulting Group, moving to the North West in 2011 as the chief operating officer of BBC North. As part of the role, she oversaw the move of BBC Children’s, Radio 5 live and BBC Learning to Salford.
Acting BBC Children’s director and CBeebies controller Kay Benbow and Cheryl Taylor, the CBBC controller, did not apply for the position.
