BBC Studios’ scripted momentum in Australia and New Zealand – with Ghosts, Reckless and Return to Paradise 2 all landing within weeks might look like a well-timed slate push.
But for Kylie Washington, EVP & Creative Director Global Production, BBC Studios ANZ, the cluster of launches is not the headline.
The real story is how they were chosen.
Because while the industry increasingly leans on data, dashboards and predictive modelling, Washington says the most important decisions she makes still come from a deeper, more intuitive place.
The informed gut
Washington describes her process as a deliberate balance between insight and instinct – a tension she leans into, not away from.
“It’s a very informed gut feeling,” she told Mediaweek.
“I think it’s always a balance, right? Because there’s the hard data of the world we’re operating in – there’s a lot of data, a lot of numbers, a lot of research, a lot of insights. Part of my job is to read all of that and be informed, especially about audience trends.”
But numbers alone don’t greenlight a show.
Wahington explained: “When it comes to the creative, the story, the content, that has to be something other than just hard data. It has to come from another place. It comes from curiosity, from a more instinctive place where something is talking to you. You feel connected to it, passionate about it. You believe there’s a good reason to invest all that time and energy and to want to tell that story.”
It’s this blend – the “informed gut” – that Washington credits for BBC Studios’ scripted surge: The Office Australia, Return to Paradise seasons one and two, Ghosts and Reckless, five series in 15 months.
Felicity Ward
Knowing which shows should be adapted – and which shouldn’t
Washington’s method is particularly important when dealing with global IP. The decision to adapt is never automatic.
“It starts with story DNA,” she says. “We ask: what’s universal about this idea, and what’s specific to its cultural setting? Why would we want to adapt this IP and if we can’t answer the why or how in terms of identifying the uniquely Australian view, then we wouldn’t pursue.”
That’s how Ghosts landed in the pipeline – with a version that confronts Australia’s colonial history rather than tidying it away.
“Viewers are really responding to the way we haven’t shied-away from addressing our colonial history. How can you make a show that pulls characters from its different chapters in history and not go there?”
Reckless followed the same rulebook. Kodi Bedford reimagined a Scottish series through a contemporary First Nations lens – and Washington says that alone justified the adaptation.
“The four-part series purposefully leans into and succeeds in representing flawed and complicated contemporary First Nations characters, it’s very different from the original Scottish series and a perfect example of why you would pick a format to adapt to this country. It answers the ‘why’ loudly and clearly.”
Kodi Bedford
The biggest risk of her career – and the comments she refused to turn off
Nothing tested Washington’s instincts – or resilience – more than The Office Australia.
“That was probably one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken in my career,” she says.
“And the reaction was very mixed. Some people hadn’t even seen any of it – just the idea of a woman taking that role for the first time in 23 years.”
The backlash was instant. And public. But Washington resisted the urge to shield herself or the production.
“We didn’t turn the comments off. We thought, ‘Okay, this is Australian misogyny on full display.’ But it wasn’t only that – it’s a really complicated piece. It’s also The Office. It’s a huge piece of IP.”
Despite the noise, she remains fiercely proud of the result.
“All you can do is make the very best show you can. And I feel like the key creatives on that show, myself included, we all completely backed that show. I’m really proud that the series is out in the universe – that there is a female-led Office version. I’m genuinely proud that’s always going to exist.”
What travels and why Australia is having a moment
Washington says what Australians want – authenticity, grounded emotion, a strong sense of place – is increasingly what international buyers want too.
The proof is in the way global audiences are discovering local series such as The Newsreader, Return to Paradise, and the buzzing reaction to Ghosts.
Looking ahead, Washington is steering BBC Studios into deeper scripted diversification.
“The next phase is all about diversification and scale,” she said.
“We’re building on our dual strengths, premium factual entertainment and distinctive scripted storytelling, while exploring new formats and emerging platforms.”
That includes new originals in development and a push into companion content – short-form and digital-first storytelling that expands the world of each show.
But the through-line remains the same: stories chosen with equal parts discipline and intuition.
BBC Studios’ newest slate may be hitting in rapid succession. But the real acceleration is the one happening behind the scenes – inside the instincts of the woman choosing what’s worth making next.
Main Image: Kylie Washington