Matchbox Pics exec to head up BBC Studios Australian production
Producer Kylie Washington appointed as the first Director of Production for BBC's Australian arm.
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BBC Studios has appointed producer Kylie Washington as its first Director of Production in Australia.
BBC announced it was setting up an Australian production arm in February with Stargazing Live 2 as its first local production, to be produced locally by a team from BBC Studios’ Science Unit in the UK.
Washington has been Matchbox Pictures’ Director of Unscripted since 2012, overseeing the Real Housewives, Australian Spartan, Room 101, Formal Wars and the upcoming Everyone’s A Critic for ABC.
She will join BBC Studios in coming months and report into its international production division, led by Anna Mallett, Managing Director, Production and COO, BBC Studios. She will work closely with Jon Penn, Managing Director, BBC Studios, Australia & New Zealand and his executive leadership team.
Anna Mallett says: ‘It’s wonderful that BBC Studios has attracted someone of Kylie’s calibre, experience and passion, and I can think of no one better to lead our Australian production operation at this exciting time.’
Kylie Washington said, “I am thrilled to be joining BBC Studios as it establishes its first production studio in Australia. It’s an exciting time of change in the Australian media and I look forward to joining a company that I have admired for many years. The BBC has such a wonderful rich history of content and I look forward to continuing that legacy within the Australian market place.”
Jon Penn added, “Kylie is a talented creative who combines a strong track record in television production with insight into the entertainment experiences our customers and their audiences are looking for. I’m looking forward to welcoming her into the business.”
Washington’s departure from Matchbox Pictures follows from Managing Director Chris Oliver-Taylor’s exit to head up FremantleMedia Australia. A new Head of Unscripted is yet to be announced.
Kylie has been the Director of Unscripted at Matchbox Pictures since 2012. During this time, she has developed, pitched and overseen casting, production and delivery of 16 series, building a slate from scratch when NBCU bought out Matchbox in 2014. Titles include: Real Housewives of Melbourne and Sydney for Foxtel; Real Housewives of Auckland for Bravo NZ; Australian Spartan for Seven; Room 101 for SBS; original format Formal Wars for Seven; and original arts entertainment series, Everyone’s A Critic, for ABC.
Kylie has also set up the Matchbox Asia business which successfully delivered content across all of NBCU’s Channels within Asia.
From 2006-2012, Kylie was a series producer and development producer for Active TV, working across 14 titles in a range of genres. She adapted Prank Patrol for ABC3, which also went out on CBBC in the UK and was nominated for Most Outstanding Children’s TV Show at the 2011 Logies. Other titles include: The Amazing Race Australia for Seven, Amazing Race Asia for Sony’s AXN, To Be Or Not To Be for Foxtel’s Movie Extra, and adapting Cash Cab into Asia.
Prior to this, Kylie worked as a freelance producer and director on some of Australia’s biggest formatted shows, including seven series of Big Brother for Channel Ten; I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here for ITV1; and The Great BBQ Challenge for Foxtel’s Lifestyle Food.