Eurovision 2023: BBC unveils the Senior Production team

Eurovision 2023: BBC unveils the Senior Production team
Monday, 17 October 2022

  • The host broadcaster of Eurovision 2023, UK's BBC, have formed the Senior Production team for the next contest set to take place in Liverpool. 

    The BBC have revealed the names behind the senior production team for Eurovision 2023. The broadcaster has shared the name of the team and the assignement for each member.

    Namely here is the team that will be overseeing the plans unfold smoothly for the next contest: 

     

     

    • Martin Green CBE – Managing Director
    • Rachel Ashdown – Lead Commissioner for the BBC
    • Andrew Cartmell – Executive Producer
    • Lee Smithurst – Head of Show
    • Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen – Head of Contest
    • James O’Brien – Executive in Charge of Production

     

    Martin Green CBE – Managing Director

    Martin will be leading the team and oversseing the creation and the plans of this major music event.  In order ofr everything to be delivered to the audience on time and the right way, BBC will have to work with the European Broadcasting Union,  Liverpool as host city and other external partners.

    If there is one person to take over all that that will definetly be Green with twenty years of experience in major global events, most recently he was the Chief Creative Officer of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (where he delivered the opening and closing ceremonies and a major cultural programme), and Chief Creative Officer of Unboxed 2022. Also he was Head of Ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

     

    Rachel Ashdown – Lead Commissioner for the BBC

    Rachel Ashdown will be  the Leading Commissioner for the BBC on Eurovision 2023. Along with BBC Studio she will be working on overall production of the three live shows (semifinals and grand final),while she will be also in charge for commissioning other programming to run across the BBC and in collaboration with other production companies. Among others she'll be contributing in the Allocation Draw and other side Eurovision Song Contest shows ahead fo the contest.

    Rachel has been the Commissioner for all Eurovision Song Contest coverage on the BBC since 2018 and she subsequently joined the Reference Group for the  2019 - 2021 contests.

     

     Andrew Cartmell – Executive Producer

    Andrew is taking overall responsibility for the three live shows (semifinals and Grand final). Cartmell who was the UK's Head of  Delegation in Turin this year has a wide experience in major live events that he took care of  for the BBC Studios, Done & Dusted, and Hungry Bear Media. Also he was behind the production of Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony, Children in Need & Sport Relief.

     

    Lee Smithurst – Head of Show

    As Head of the show, Smithurst will be responsible for the editorial content and take the creative lead for the three live shows. He was Assistant Head of Delegation for the United Kingdom in Turin this year, and will be Executive Producer and Head of Delegation for the United Kingdom at the upcoming Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Yerevan, Armenia this December. Lee’s recent credits include I Can See Your Voice, Kylie Minogue’s Secret Night and Soccer Aid.

     

    Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen – Head of Contest

    Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen is a returning figure of the team as he was head of the contest in the 2021 and 2022 editions and his job is two work with the national delegation in order to implement on stage the plans the delegates have for their performance. Twan's eperience lays mostly in the Netherlands where he has delivered several live shows and events from the position of Editor in Chief. 

     

    James O’Brien – Executive in Charge of Production

    Last but not least, James O'Brien as Executive in Charge of Production will take care of the technical issues concerning the shows and the venue in total. MTV Europe Music Awards, the London 2012 Olympics and this year’s Commonwealth Games are some of the major events that showcase his wide experience in major live events and shows. 

     

    Eurovision 2023

    The 67th edition is set to take place in Liverpool at the M&S Bank Arena on May 9, 11 and 13, 2023.

    In 2019, Liverpool was the fifth most visited UK city. It is noted for its culture, architecture and transport links. The city is closely associated with the arts, especially music; the popularity of the Beatles, widely regarded as the most influential band of all time. Liverpool is internationally known for music and is recognised by Guinness World Records as the World Capital City of Pop.Musicians from the city have produced 56 No. 1 singles, more than any other city in the world.

    M&S Bank Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the city centre of Liverpool, England. The venue hosts live music, comedy performances and sporting events, and forms part of Liverpool event campus ACC Liverpool – an interconnected arena, exhibition and convention centre.

    Opened in 2008 the 11,000-seat arena hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards the same year and since then has held host to world-renowned acts such as Andrea Bocelli, Beyoncé, Elton John, Kanye West, Kasabian, The Killers, Lady Gaga, Oasis, Pink, Rihanna, UB40.

     

    News Source/Image: Eurovision.tv