Krishnendu Majumdar to head British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)

Television producer Krishnendu Majumdar has been appointed chairperson of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Majumdar, who succeeds Pippa Harris to the position, was already deputy chair for one year and will remain chairperson for the next three years. He is the first person of colour to chair BAFTA in the academy's 73 year history, and the youngest in 35 years.

The award-winning TV producer has been working with BAFTA for 14 years; he chaired the Learning and New Talent Committee for four years and the Television Committee for four years, and was a member of the board of trustees for nine years. Harris now moves to the position of deputy chairperson.

Majumdar backed BAFTA’s year-round program of learning and new talent initiatives which include BAFTA Breakthrough and BAFTA Elevate. He also chaired the academy's Awards Review, which was formed to look into the lack of diversity in film nominations announced earlier this year. 

In a statement shared with TheHollywoodReporter.com, Majumdar said, "It is a tremendous honour to be elected chair of BAFTA, and I’m lucky to be following Pippa Harris’s outstanding tenure, and I want to pay tribute to the resilient and dynamic leadership that Pippa has shown. This year has been a difficult and turbulent time for many in our industry. Working with Pippa, BAFTA’s talented and committed staff and membership, I want BAFTA to be at the heart of rebuilding the industry post-COVID.

"It is vital to ensure that we support people of all backgrounds, races and genders," he continued. "Diversity and inclusion are crucial for the lifeblood of BAFTA, and we will continue to be a leader for real change across our industry."

In 2012, Majumdar and Richard Yee co-founded Me + You Productions. He has produced the critically acclaimed series I Am, starring Dominic Savage, and the comedy Hoff The Record, which won an international Emmy. He was executive producer on two seasons of the comedy drama Sick Of It, and the documentary series The Moaning Of Life. Majumdar was also a showrunner on the BAFTA-nominated travel documentary series An Idiot Abroad created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.