BBC Studios’ Kylie Washington on ‘The Office’ and ‘Return To Paradise’

EXCLUSIVE: Kylie Washington has just overseen the launch of three BBC mega-brands in Australia, and readily admits the pressure has been on. The Managing Director and Creative Director of Production at BBC Studios ANZ knows new versions of Death in paradise, The office And Top equipment need full attention to be successful, especially as buyers hesitate to put their hands in their pockets and are more willing than ever to pull the trigger on disappointment.

The good news is: “From my personal BBC Studios perspective, we are on the right track,” says the Sydney-based director. “We have assignments for most networks with a very broad mix of genres. You never know which runner will have their moment in the light, so it’s important to be the best of them all and play to your strengths.”

Return to paradisethe Australian-based spin-off of the British cozy crime drama Death in paradisedefinitely had a moment in the light, and that doesn’t mean the hot Australian sun. Reviews of the show – co-produced with Death in paradise creator Red Planet Pictures and created by James Hall, Peter Mattesi and Robert Thorogood – were strong, with launch figures close to those of The newsreader (made by the recently acquired BBC Studios indie Werner Film Productions).

The first episode reached over 1.5 million viewers, while the series attracted an average audience of over 1.1 million plus on-demand views of 205,000. “It has attracted a big audience on iView,” the ABC streaming service adds Washington, while female lead Anna Samson has attracted younger viewers to a show traditionally considered the domain of older audiences. A crossover cameo from Death in paradise star Ardal O’Hanlon helped generate headlines and a ‘Paradise universe” that also includes the spin-off starring Kris Marshall Beyond paradise.

Another big launch from BBC Studios ANZ took place last weekend, with Top Gear Australia‘s revival launches Saturday on Network 10 as the highest-rated commercial free-to-air show of the day. The series launched earlier this year on Paramount+ in Australia and several other countries in South America, Europe and Asia, but obviously no viewing figures are available there.

The third launch, which also took place last weekend, was The Australia officeto which we have paid extensive attention in recent months. Critical reviews of the comedy weren’t the friendliest, although audience response online was better and it was Felicity Ward’s turn as a female David Brent received a warm welcome. Washington admits she is “nervous” about the “direct comparisons” to the British version, but is down-to-earth about the future of the comedy: “The proof is in the pudding – if it is recommissioned it will be a success been.”

Speaking to Deadline before the show launched, British actress and stand-up comedian Ward said: “People can have whatever feelings they have and that’s fine. Starring in any sitcom is a dream and playing the lead role The office is fucking wild. I’ll probably feel sick on October 18th when the temperature drops, but I would do that at every show.

Sarah Christie, Senior Development Executive at Amazon MGM Studios Australia, adds that the streamer and its production arm are “very proud of where the show has landed with those touchstones that are clearly so The officebut also Australian.” She says her team is still “stunned” that Ward is the first woman to play the iconic role of office manager that Ricky Gervais and then Steve Carrell made famous.

History in formats

Washington is one of the most experienced producers currently operating in Australia’s senior ranks, having worked at some of the country’s top format producers. After starting her TV career at Southern Star, which was later acquired by Endemol, she worked for Great race Australia creator ActiveTV before joining NBCUniversal-owned Matchbox Pictures in 2012 as director of Unscripted. There she made shows like Real Housewives of Melbourne, Real Housewives of Sydney And Real Housewives of Auckland and original formats such as Formal wars for Seven Network and Everyone is a critic for ABC before moving to the BBC’s commercial arm in 2018 to run its Australian production unit.

Since then, she has focused on building the local version of Brainwhich has now delivered more than 500 episodes in five years on pubcaster SBS. In total, she has overseen the development, production and distribution of more than 600 hours of TV, with her experience in international formats clearly evident. In particular: quizzes The 1% clubwhich is a growing hit in its UK home on ITV, is doing well in Australia for Network Seven. “There’s a real trend among commissioners watching quizzes in prime time,” Washington says. “That’s not necessarily something we do in Australia, but this is a quiz show with comedy host (stand-up comedian Jim Jefferies), and it was fantastic.”

“With any format, there has to be a good reason why you’re doing it,” she says. “We were pitching The Australia office and you wouldn’t pick the jewel in the crown of the BBC format crown 23 years later without good reason. The same with Return to paradiseit was about identifying the key DNA that makes it so visible. Bringing in a female detective was a great way to explore a different landscape under a different lens.”

The Paradise The ratings were “a big relief,” she admits. “It’s hard because there are diehard fans for all these shows, and you have to get it right. You can only put together the best team, make it clear why you are innovating and pass on that direction to every employee.”

Regarding Top equipmentwhich has been put on indefinite rest in Britain after a series of security incidents, one of which nearly killed presenter Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff’, Washington says its team was ‘in discussions’ about ‘risk safety and protocols’ while that took place in the UK,” adding: “You always need good risk assessments and that was reinforced by the timing.”

However, because Australia is a country of ‘huge car enthusiasts’, thanks to the vast distances between its relatively small population, there is already a ‘brand recognition’ of Top equipmentshe says, which has helped push the show’s return. (Top equipment was first seen in the country as a format on SBS between 2008 and 2012.) “Multiple layers of safety and risk assessment” went into the development process, but Washington says that “should be the same for every show.”

She adds: “Paramount saw the value of the brand. It’s still a hugely popular show; a crazy ride that travels around the world at speed. We wanted to create a show that showcases Australian travel internationally.”

The other notable business transaction for BBC Studios in Australia this year was the multi-million dollar investment in The newsreader producer Werner, which was acquired in March. Washington says she is “super excited” about the producer’s prospects. “BBC Studios is a strong supporter of Australian scripted content. This is a way to come in and work with world-class talent. The deal works on a similar model to India in Britain – Werner remains an independent company and we will support them, hopefully distribute their content and collaborate when it makes sense.

Overall, 2024 was the biggest year yet for BBC Studios ANZ in terms of volume and revenue, which is in contrast to many companies in other major English-speaking countries. For example, the US unscripted space is experiencing a major downturn in work-for-hire business, and many US indies have been looking for new international deals to retain rights in recent months. It’s a similar story in Canada and Britain, where many scripted and non-scripted production companies have gone bankrupt due to difficult market conditions and disappointing orders.

Washington rates Australian markets. “We are protected to some extent, but there is some delay,” she said. “Twelve-month commissioning cycles may be turning into eighteen-month cycles, but there is still a very positive energy. We feel more optimistic than our American and British colleagues at the moment, but you really have to pay attention to yourself. You have to pay attention to budget levels and keep the reins tight. You have to be clear and take action and there is not much room for margin. Networks will look at anything that misses the mark or doesn’t work in the digital space. I’m feeling pretty good though. This has been our busiest year with a lot of content coming out now, and next year looks great too.”

The BBC, which has been operating in Australia for decades, is indeed one of the most active players in the market. Today it was announced that Nine Network will launch six exclusive FAST channels under the BBC brand. Streamer 9Now will feature more than 300 titles across all channels, including Top equipment– And Antiques Roadshow UK-branded stations, along with BBC Comedy, BBC Food, BBC Home & Garden and BBC Earth.

Washington is looking forward to spending some face time in London later this year with new BBC Studios Productions CEO Zai Bennett, the former Sky Content MD who replaces Ralph Lee. A push towards original development will be a priority in 2025, so a powwow with the new boss, who is working on series like Chernobyl And Gangs of Londoncould be an invaluable opportunity.

Programs such as those from SBS Ray Martin: The Last Farewellin which the journalist plans his own funeral, have continued as the strategy gets underway. “While we’ve been working hard on the formats and major BBC IP, we’ve focused on original scripted and unscripted,” says Washington. “We have more titles like The final farewell hopefully launched next year. It’s great to be able to work with one foot, both in originals and formats. You can play with a lot of toys and it ensures that you continue to explore your territory and stimulates your creativity.”

It seems like Washington had the right format all along.