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Kay Benbow has been announced as the new Controller of CBeebies, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's hugely popular pre-school children's channel.

Kay has worked in children's television for over 20 years – primarily at the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. She is currently Head of CBeebies Production, Animation and Acquisitions, where she is responsible for leading all in-house production and commissioning acquired programming – bringing in top-rated shows Timmy Time, Chuggington, Wibbly Pig and Driver Dan's Story Train.

She will be based in Salford as part of the move of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Children's to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ North next year.

Kay says:"I am absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to lead the country's best-loved pre-school channel.

"I am passionate about children's programming – there can be no better job in the world than helping provide young children with memorable programmes and experiences that will stay with them all their lives.

"It's particularly thrilling to be leading the channel to our new Salford base, which throws up lots of exciting opportunities to develop new relationships with our audiences and pilot new ways of working."

Director of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Children's, Joe Godwin, says: "Kay's a great programme maker and creative leader and, through her animation work, is well known and highly respected across the pre-school world.

"I'm really pleased that Kay will be taking over at such an exciting time, with Strategy Review proposing an additional investment of £10million in ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Children's. I couldn't wish for a better person to lead CBeebies to its new home in Salford and to keep it number one."

Kay began working in ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Children's in 1988 after beginning her career with ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World and Domestic Services. After a period in TV presentation, where she managed the live weekday links with Andi Peters and Edd the Duck, she became a producer/director working on shows such as Get Your Own Back and Bodger And Badger.

Kay then spent two years at Tell Tale Productions as a producer on Tweenies, before returning to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Children's. She was instrumental in building the pre-school department as the CBeebies channel was launched – devising and developing hit show Tikkabilla and bringing in key on-screen talent, Justin Fletcher.

She has been executive producer on a wide range of in-house and independent shows, including Something Special, In The Night Garden, Numberjacks and the soon-to-be-launched ZingZillas.

Kay became head of CBeebies Production, Animation and Acquisitions in 2006 and has been responsible for building an integrated, multi-platform CBeebies community which spans TV, online, radio and acquisitions.

CR