BBC Worldwide America taps Telegdy

Network vet named exec VP of TV sales

By CYNTHIA LITTLETON

As point man for BBC, Paul Telegdy oversaw the American version of 'Dancing With the Stars, ' which airs on ABC.

Telegdy

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In an effort to sell more shows and formats to U.S. outlets, BBC Worldwide America has streamlined its sales and production operations under the direction of Paul Telegdy, the Beeb exec most responsible for exporting "Dancing With the Stars" to ABC.

As BBC Worldwide America exec veep of TV sales and content & production, Telegdy will now oversee TV sales and co-production dealmaking for the Beeb's U.S. division, as well as production. Previously, the Beeb's head sales rep for the U.S. had been Candace Carlisle, exec veep of co-productions and sales and a 22-year veteran of the pubcaster.

Telegdy had been the Beeb's point man in Los Angeles since 2004. As exec veepee of content and production, he's overseen the U.S. adaptations of Beeb hits including "Dancing With the Stars" and ABC's spinoff "Dance Wars: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann," NBC's "Clash of the Choirs" and CBS' short-lived "Viva Laughlin."

Telegdy reports to BBC Worldwide America prexy Garth Ancier.

"It makes great sense for us to cross-pollinate the TV sales business with our content and production arm," Ancier said.

Steve Macallister, the Beeb's managing director of global TV sales, said streamlining the sales and production operations was crucial to the pubcaster's growth strategy and would allow for "a stronger framework for creating highly exportable co-productions" from the U.S.

Joining Telegdy in the restructuring of the sales and content & production wings is Susanna Pollack as senior veep of TV sales, co-productions and children's programming. She'll be responsible for sales across all genres and report jointly to Telegdy and Gill Pritchard, head of kidvid for BBC Worldwide.