Lush ankles for TV Corp. subsidiary

Topper taking colleague to launch combo

By STEVE CLARKE

LONDON -- Jane Lush, the BBC topper who oversaw the breakthrough hit "Strictly Come Dancing" remade in the U.S. as "Dancing With the Stars," is ankling to join the independent sector after 35 years with the pubcaster.

Lush, the BBC's controller of entertainment commissioning, is setting up an entertainment subsidiary co-owned by U.K. independent, the Television Corp.

Lush is taking one of her senior colleagues, Fenia Vardanis, with her to launch the combo. Pair worked together on a wide range of hit BBC shows, including "The Apprentice," "Dragons' Den" and "Weakest Link."

They will be joint managing directors of the as-yet unnamed outfit and will quit the pubcaster later this fall.