Kay Wright appointed Head of BBC Midlands to lead radio, television and digital output

Kay Wright has been appointed Head of BBC Midlands to lead all of the BBC’s local services for radio, TV and online across the West and East Midlands.

She will be responsible for BBC Radio WM, BBC CWR, BBC Radio Stoke, BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester, BBC Radio Derby, BBC Radio Leicester and BBC Radio Nottingham.

In addition to Midlands Today, East Midlands Today, two Sunday Politics programmes, and the region’s digital output.

She takes over from Hayley Valentine who became Director of BBC Scotland last year.

Kay joined the BBC in 1999 and went on to lead BBC Radio Leicester and BBC CWR in the Midlands as Executive Editor before joining the BBC worked in regional and national newspapers.

Most recently she has been heading up TV and digital news output in the North East of England and before that headed up the BBC in the Midlands on an interim basis in 2023.

Kay Wright says: “Having spent much of my career in Leicester, my heart truly belongs in the Midlands. I can’t wait to get back to work with the enormously talented, creative and committed news and programme-makers this region boasts. It will be a huge privilege to work with BBC colleagues as well as regional stakeholders to deliver the highest quality content for our audiences.”

Jason Horton, Director of Production for BBC Local, says: “Kay is a hugely experienced editorial leader who has led a number of teams across the Midlands over the past few years. Her relentless focus on our audiences, understanding what they want from BBC Local, her creativity and her leadership, are qualities that I am sure will make her time leading the BBC across the Midlands a huge success. I am excited to see what she achieves.”

Kay will take up her new role as Head of BBC Midlands from Monday 17 March.