Rachel Bendavid has been named head of scripted programming for the Lionsgate partnership with BBC Studios in Los Angeles.
A year after its launch, the partnership has already received pilot orders for U.S. versions of two BBC series: This Country for Fox and Ghosts for CBS.
Bendavid, most recently VP of drama programming for ABC Entertainment, will be responsible for the operations and content initiatives of the partnership and will shepherd development and production of its programming.
“Rachel is an incredibly talented executive with a strong track record and an impeccable creative eye for premium, must-see content,” said Lionsgate executive VP, television & head of development Scott Herbst. “Her leadership skills, passion for television and expert knowledge of the business will be invaluable in leading our partnership with BBC Studios and creating more great series for our content pipeline.”
“Rachel has a real knowledge of and passion for distinct British voices. Based on this, along with her deep experience at ABC and Fox and her strong connections within the industry, she is well positioned to build our scripted partnership and continue to develop exciting opportunities for the UK creative community in the U.S.,” said Valerie Bruce, general manager, LA Productions, BBC Studios.
Before ABC, Bendavid was VP of drama development for Fox, where she worked on Fringe and Glee. She began her career at USA Network and also worked at Lifetime.
