Jon Petrie, the BBC‘s director of comedy, is leaving the broadcaster to join Hat Trick Productions.
Petrie will become the new creative director of Hat Trick, the independent comedy production company known for programs including “Have I Got News for You,” “Mastermind” and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”
He joined the BBC in 2021 and has since held a huge role in shows including “Ghosts,” “Gavin and Stacey: The Finale,” “Black Ops,” “Dreaming Whilst Black” and more.
“Leaving the BBC after five brilliant years is a huge wrench. It is an extraordinary place, full of wildly talented, decent and funny people, and I feel incredibly lucky to have worked under Kate Phillips’ leadership,” Petrie said in a statement.
“Hat Trick is the OG of the independent production community, and taking on the role of Creative Director feels like a rare and properly exciting opportunity. I grew up seeing that logo at the end of shows I loved, which is both exciting and a fairly brutal reminder of my age. Jimmy and the team have a genuinely forward-looking vision across scripted, short form and AI, and while I know it is a tricky time to turn from gamekeeper to poacher, I’ve missed production and I firmly believe British comedy still has huge opportunities ahead of it. I’m excited to help build what comes next.”
More to come…
