BBC Studios Comedy appoints new Creative Director, Audio Comedy
Richard Morris has been appointed as the new Creative Director of Audio Comedy by BBC Studios Comedy productions.
Reporting to Head of Comedy Josh Cole, Morris will oversee all programming at BBC Studios Audio, which is the largest supplier of comedy programming to Radio 4 and whose titles include flagship Radio 4 topical shows such as The Now Show, The News Quiz and Dead Ringers.
The team also supplies comedy and entertainment programming for BBC Sounds and platforms in the commercial sector, working with some of the UK’s best-known comedy stars including Sindhu Vee, Sandi Toksvig, Bridget Christie, Lenny Henry and Roger Allam, as well as upcoming talents Daliso Chaponda, Ali Official, Olga Koch and Tom Mayhew.
He will also oversee the Comedy Contract Writers scheme which offers up and coming writers a year-long contract to write across a variety of audio comedy shows and boasts an impressive list of alumni which includes Guy Jenkin (Outnumbered), Simon Blackwell and Georgia Pritchett (The Thick of It, Veep), Laura Major (Famalam and Joe Lycett Gets His Own Back) and Andy Wolton, writer of BBC Studios Comedy Productions’ Trying for TV+.
Announcing the appointment Josh Cole, Head of Comedy at BBC Studios Productions said: “Richard is a first rate comedy producer with an excellent track record and fantastic experience of producing some of the country’s most recognisable and best-loved audio comedy. He was a natural choice for this role and I can’t wait to hear the brilliant work the team produce under his leadership.”
Richard Morris added: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible team. BBC Studios Audio is not only the home of so many prestigious and much-loved comedy titles but we also have an exciting slate of new shows in development with the best new comedians in the land and I can’t wait for people to hear them.”
Morris began his comedy career as a stand-up, writer and actor working on everything from the 11 o’clock Show to Extras. He later turned to producing in his native Cardiff, starting out making programmes like Radio Wales’ flagship topical quiz, The Leak and developing comedy and factual entertainment television for S4C.
He joined BBC Studios Comedy in 2015 where he has produced and exec’d numerous programmes for Radio 4 including stand-up vehicles, factual entertainment shows and several series of flagship titles like News Quiz and Just a Minute. He is currently a Senior Producer working across the whole BBC Studios Audio slate on radio and podcasts including most recently the Inside No.9 companion podcast Inside Inside Number 9.
Morris takes over the role from Julia McKenzie who was appointed Radio 4 Commissioning Editor for Comedy and Entertainment in late April.