BBC’s Sreya Biswas jumps to the NHU

BBC Studios Natural History Unit (NHU) has appointed the BBC’s head of natural history Sreya Biswas to a newly created senior role.

Biswas will swap commissioning for production when she takes up the position of director of programmes at the Bristol-based unit in the summer; tasked with expanding the NHU into new creative areas of focus including adventure, travel and documentary programming. She will lead a team of executive producers and series editors.

She will report to NHU head Jonny Keeling and work closely with creative director Mike Gunton as part of the senior creative team.

Biswas has spent two years heading up natural history at the BBC, overseeing landmark series including Planet Earth III, Asia, Kingdom and Blue Planet III as well as titles such as Big Cats 24/7, Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles, Spy in the Troop and An Hour on Earth.

Previously, she served as commissioning editor and commissioner for science and natural history, respectively, for five years. Before joining the BBC Biswas was an executive producer at Naked Television in the US where she made The Day I Picked My Parents for A&E.

Keeling said: “Attracting someone of Sreya’s calibre and creative expertise to spearhead our delivery, development and expansion into new content territory is incredibly exciting. Her role will be pivotal in diversifying the NHU’s slate, winning new business, whilst maintaining our global reputation for much-loved, ambitious, blue-chip programming.

“Our mission to inspire audiences to love and protect the natural world has never been more important and I can’t wait to see how Sreya brings this to life in thought-provoking and compelling new ways both for the BBC and our global clients.”

Biswas added: “The NHU’s long history of world class programming has inspired people around the world. To be part of the evolution of the unit and genre, taking it in new and exciting directions and growing opportunities, while maintaining the amazing heart of the NHU will be a real privilege.”

Her appointment comes nearly a year after the NHU closed around 30 creative posts (7% of roles), including exec producers and series editors, amid a slowdown in the market.

The NHU’s slate includes BBC1 series The Green Planet, Blue Planet II and Planet Earth III, Prehistoric Planet for AppleTV+ and The Americas for NBCU.