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St Hugh’s alumna launches first season of BBC progamming as Head of Arts and Classical Music TV

Congratulations to Suzy Klein (Music, 1993) who was appointed BBC Head of Arts and Classical Music TV in October 2021 and whose first season of new programming has just been announced. The season’s highlights are the establishment of a new Sunday night performance slot on BBC Four, and an eight-part series for BBC Two Art That Made Us, a chronological survey of works and artefacts dating from the departure of the Romans from Britain to the present day.

Suzy’s new appointment is seen an important one in Britain’s cultural ecology – she will lead the BBC’s world-class arts and classical music output on TV, driving audience reach and impact across the country and maintaining the BBC’s position as the UK’s biggest creator, investor and broadcaster of original Arts and Classical Music content.

Suzy is well known as a journalist and broadcaster and has spent her career championing culture and classical music – as a producer in BBC TV and radio production and latterly as a writer and presenter working across the UK’s cultural sector.

In an interview with the Financial Times Suzy said, “I could not be more thrilled to be taking on this exciting new role, flying the flag for the best of arts, culture and classical music at the BBC. I joined the Corporation almost 25 years ago, first as an arts and music researcher, then assistant producer, director and series producer, eventually going on to present some of the programmes I most cherish. If my appointment represents something, it is a long-term commitment to the transformative power, inspiration and joy that the arts bring. That’s something I can’t wait to share with my brilliant commissioning team, as we work together to create the most compelling, unmissable programmes for audiences across the UK.”

Photo credit: BBC and Mark Allan.