BBC appoints Chris Sussman as Director of Comedy

The BBC has appointed Chris Sussman as its new Director of Comedy. Appointed by Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips, Sussman will lead the comedy commissioning team and oversee the development of original British scripted comedy.

Sussman returns to the BBC following a tenure as Director of Scripted Series at Netflix UK, where he worked on productions such as ‘Baby Reindeer’ and ‘Black Mirror’. He previously served as Head of Comedy at BBC Studios, managing various TV and radio comedy slates, and has worked on acclaimed series including ‘Fleabag’ and ‘Ludwig’.

Sussman succeeds Jon Petrie, who announced his departure in June 2026 to become the creative director at Hat Trick Productions. Sussman is scheduled to begin his new role in September, with Emma Lawson serving as Acting Director in the interim.