Zai Bennett to Leave BBC Three to Join BSkyB’s Sky Atlantic

LONDON — Zai Bennett, controller of the BBC’s youth channel, BBC Three, is to leave to become director of BSkyB’s Sky Atlantic.

BBC Three has won four BAFTAs in two years: best factual for “Our War,” seasons one and two, best drama for “The Fades,” and best comedy program for “The Revolution Will Be Televised.”

Bennett has also commissioned comedies “Bad Education,” “Cuckoo” and “The Call Center,” and factual shows like “Life and Death Row” and “Tough Young Teachers.”

BBC Three, which launched in February 2003, has the biggest 16-34 market share in its transmission hours within its U.K. peer group, which includes E4, Sky One and ITV2. It is also bigger than Channel 4 for the 16-24 audience (7.7% share against 7% during in transmission hours in 2013).

BBC director of television, Danny Cohen, said: “Zai has been a fantastic controller of BBC Three, and has led the channel to great success, in terms of quality, awards and audience performance. He’s a true gentleman and I will miss working with him.”

In March, the BBC said that it would move BBC Three online, subject to approval from governing body, the BBC Trust. It would close in autumn 2015, and be replaced with the new online service.

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