Michael Carrington, the exec who first backed global kids smash Bluey, is retiring after a storied career.
The former BBC Kids boss held numerous top level roles throughout from the early 1990s through to the 2020s, and had a reputation as one of the most knowledgable in the business, but is best known for supporting the development of Bluey while leading the ABC TV Children’s and Education department in Australia.
He announced his retirement on LinkedIn, saying, “The world of television has given me more than I could have ever imagined.”
Having begun his career in Australia at Network Ten, he joined CBBC as a producer in 1993 before being whisked off to lead Lego’s TV and New Media department just before the millennium. He returned to the Beeb four years later in an acquisitions role at BBC Children’s and rose to become the first Creative Director and Controller of CBeebies in 2007. There he commissioned the likes of In the Night Garden and Charlie & Lola, both of which still play daily on the preschool network.
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After moving in 2010 to Turner to lead Cartoon Networks EMEA as Chief Content Officer, where he exec produced shows such as the Amazing World of Gumball, he founded Cartoon Networks Studios Arabia. He then joined Thomas & Friends owner Hit Entertainment, which had been acquired by Mattel in 2012, and later became CEO of Zodiak Kids Studios, now part of Banijay.
But it was when he moved back to Australia in 2016 that his biggest spot came. Named as pubcaster the ABC’s kids content boss, he saw an early stage pilot of Bluey at an industry pitch and backed it with development money. With BBC Studios, the commercial arm of his former employer the BBC, also boarding, he commissioned a full season of the animated series about the caring and funny family of blue heeler dogs.
Bluey was later acquired by Disney+ internationally and in the U.S., where it has spent the past 112 weeks in Nielsen’s most-streamed charts.
The ABC later promoted him to Head of Programming, handing him control of all TV channels and streamer ABC iView. During this period he commissioned the likes of The Newsreader, also oversaw other functions for the pubcaster and led it during the difficult early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. He left in 2023 and set up an independent production company, which has now closed as he retires.
“The world of television has given me more than I could have ever imagined,” said Carrington. “I’ve had the privilege to work with incredible talented people and help create content that has brought joy, education, and wonder to countless families. As I step away, I’m filled with pride knowing that the values of creativity, diversity, and inclusion that have guided me will continue to inspire the next generation of storytellers. I’m excited to see what’s next for this industry and grateful for all the moments we’ve shared.”
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