Steve Coogan has declared his indie Baby Cow “has emerged fighting fit” after a period of transition with a pair of signings to lead its comedy and drama.
Head of comedy Olly Cambridge will work with writers, performers and creators to develop original series for UK and international broadcasters and platforms.
His appointment follows the promotion of the BBC Studios indie’s previous head of comedy development Rupert Majendie to chief creative officer last year.
Cambridge’s credits as a producer include Channel 4’s Everyone Else Burns, Netflix special A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou and BBC sketch show Ellie & Natasia.
Joining as head of drama is former Objective Fiction head of development Kelly McGolpin, whose previous producer credits include C4’s Chewing Gum and C4/Netflix co-pro Feel Good.
Baby Cow has also hired producer Joe Fraser, who worked on its recent BBC1 series How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge), and associated development producer Liz Daramola, who was partnered with the indie on the 2023 BBC Studios TalentWorks Creator in Residence programme.
The hires come in the wake of Baby Cow's success with the Gavin and Stacey finale and its British Independent Film Awards-winning movie The Ballad of Wallis Island [main picture].
Coogan said of the hires: “I have never been more excited to be part of the company, developing projects that balance entertainment with intelligence and real engagement.
“The addition of Kelly and Olly completes the picture. I love working with them both and having them on the team gives me real confidence, something that is already bearing fruit. I cannot wait to bring this new wave of content to audiences.”
Majendie added: “Kelly and Olly are two of the most exciting creative executives working today. Kelly brings a wealth of experience developing bold, original and ambitious drama and comedy drama, while Olly has an outstanding track record of championing original comedy voices.
“Baby Cow has always been about backing distinctive talent, and as we look to the next chapter, their vision, relationships and creative instincts make them the perfect people to lead our drama and comedy slates.”
