Michael Carrington, the exec who first backed world children smash Bluey, is retiring after a storied profession.
The former BBC Kids boss held quite a few high degree roles all through from the early Nineties by to the 2020s, and had a fame as one of the crucial knowledgable within the enterprise, however is greatest recognized for supporting the event of Bluey whereas main the ABC TV Children’s and Education division in Australia.
He introduced his retirement on LinkedIn, saying, “The world of television has given me more than I could have ever imagined.”
Having begun his profession in Australia at Network Ten, he joined CBBC as a producer in 1993 earlier than being whisked off to steer Lego’s TV and New Media division simply earlier than the millennium. He returned to the Beeb 4 years later in an acquisitions function at BBC Children’s and rose to develop into the primary Creative Director and Controller of CBeebies in 2007. There he commissioned the likes of In the Night Garden and Charlie & Lola, each of which nonetheless play every day on the preschool community.
After transferring in 2010 to Turner to steer Cartoon Networks EMEA as Chief Content Officer, the place he exec produced reveals equivalent to the Amazing World of Gumball, he based Cartoon Networks Studios Arabia. He then joined Thomas & Friends proprietor Hit Entertainment, which had been acquired by Mattel in 2012, and later turned CEO of Zodiak Kids Studios, now a part of Banijay.
But it was when he moved again to Australia in 2016 that his greatest spot got here. Named as pubcaster the ABC’s children content material boss, he noticed an early stage pilot of Bluey at an business pitch and backed it with growth cash. With BBC Studios, the business arm of his former employer the BBC, additionally boarding, he commissioned a full season of the animated sequence concerning the caring and humorous household of blue heeler canine.
Bluey was later acquired by Disney+ internationally and within the U.S., the place it has spent the previous 112 weeks in Nielsen’s most-streamed charts.
The ABC later promoted him to Head of Programming, handing him management of all TV channels and streamer ABC iView. During this era he commissioned the likes of The Newsreader, additionally oversaw different features for the pubcaster and led it through the tough early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. He left in 2023 and arrange an unbiased manufacturing firm, which has now closed as he retires.
“The world of television has given me more than I could have ever imagined,” mentioned Carrington. “I’ve had the privilege to work with incredible talented people and help create content that has brought joy, education, and wonder to countless families. As I step away, I’m filled with pride knowing that the values of creativity, diversity, and inclusion that have guided me will continue to inspire the next generation of storytellers. I’m excited to see what’s next for this industry and grateful for all the moments we’ve shared.”