Syeda Irtizaali, portfolio editor for BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC iPlayer, has been promoted as editor for unscripted commissioning.
Most recently, Irtizaali developed and oversaw smash hit “The Traitors” for BBC Entertainment.
Irtizaali will work closely with director of unscripted Kate Phillips to drive a new editorial strategy for all genres in unscripted, liaising with the senior heads of commissioning and the portfolio teams to deliver an “aspirational, modern and collaborative slate of programming with maximum audience impact,” according to an internal email from Phillips seen by PvNew.
Irtizaali started her career as a journalist with BBC news and went on to work as a producer and executive producer in entertainment and factual entertainment across several independent production companies including Monkey, Planet 24, Diverse, At It and Brighter. She had a stint as a commissioning editor for entertainment at Channel 4 and was responsible for commissioning hits such as “Alan Carr: Chatty Man,” “The Million Pound Drop,” “The Big Narstie Show,” “The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan” and “The Last Leg.”
She returned to the BBC in Feb. 2020 as commissioning editor in entertainment, where she oversaw “Top Gear” and “Masterchef” and developed new shows including “Jack Whitehall’s Sporting Nation,” “Peter Crouch Save Our Summer” and “Bamous.”
Most recently, Irtizaali has been portfolio editor for BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC iPlayer within Dan McGolpin’s iPlayer and channels team overseeing content and strategy across all genres for linear channels and iPlayer. Irtizaali’s replacement as portfolio editor will be announced soon.
Irtizaali will start in the new role from Jan. 30.
