BBC Names Turner’s Patricia Hidalgo as Director of Children’s and Education

By Tim Dams

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The BBC has appointed Turner executive Patricia Hidalgo as its new director of children’s and education.

Currently senior VP, chief content and creative officer at Turner EMEA, Hidalgo takes up her new role in September.

She replaces Alice Webb, who announced in December she is taking up the role of CEO at Universal Music-backed Eagle Rock Entertainment. Webb delayed her departure from the BBC due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sophy Jacob, head of business, will act as interim director of BBC Children’s & Education until Hidalgo takes up her new role.

Hidalgo will be responsible for creative and editorial strategy for BBC Children’s services across all platforms, including CBeebies and CBBC, and will lead the BBC’s Education department. She’ll also oversee all the division’s content output including in-house productions, co-productions and acquisitions, reporting to James Purnell, director of BBC Radio & Education.

The high-profile role is a crucial one at the BBC, and sees Hidalgo join at a time when the corporation is battling for younger viewers in an increasingly competitive market driven by the likes of Netflix and YouTube.

During her last six years at Turner, Hidalgo was responsible for the production of “The Amazing World Of Gumball,” as well as “The Heroic Adventures Of The Valiant Prince Ivandoe.” In 2017, Hidalgo was awarded World Screen’s Global Kids Trendsetter award.

Prior to her role at Turner, Hidalgo spent 15 years at Disney where she held a number of senior roles in Spain, Italy and the U.K.

Purnell said: “Engaging our audience and staying relevant has never been more important and I have no doubt that Patricia will bring her experience and passion to expertly lead the teams in Children’s and Education through their next chapter.”

Hidalgo said: “I am really excited to be joining an organization as forward-thinking and respected worldwide as the BBC, and am honored to be given the great responsibility of leading the Children’s and Education teams in their efforts to engage, entertain and educate young people across the UK.”