BBC's former Head of Values Ian Fletcher appointed to new role as Director of Integrity for upcoming global football tournament

BBC News

5 hours ago

Having previously held a leadership role on the London Games of Twenty Twelve and a spell in W1A as the Head of Values at the BBC, Ian Fletcher (Hugh Bonneville) is now bound for the greatest stage in world football.
Next year's tournament will be the biggest ever. Hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico with 48 countries taking part and 16 venues thousands of miles apart across the whole of North America; what could possibly go wrong? Ian Fletcher is about to find out, as he joins the Twenty Twenty Six Oversight Team in Miami as its Director of Integrity.
Ian Fletcher said: "I'm thrilled at the prospect of joining the Oversight Team in Miami for this unique event. And in terms of the Integrity role, to borrow a soccer analogy, this is a rare opportunity to set out your own goals and then score them on the global stage.'
Hugh Bonneville will reprise his role as Ian Fletcher and joining him in the cast are Nick Blood (Day of The Jackal, Slow Horses), Chelsey Crisp (Fresh off The Boat, Ten Percent), Paulo Costanzo (Designated Survivor, Royal Pains), Stephen Kunken (Billions, The Handmaid's Tale), Jimena Larraguivel (Patience and RSC), Alexis Michalik (A Love Story) and Belinda Stewart-Wilson (The Inbetweeners, Stay Close).
Twenty Twenty Six is a new six-part series for BBC One and iPlayer, from the team behind W1A and Twenty Twelve, produced by Expectation.
The show's writer and director John Morton says: 'I wasn't sure what Ian Fletcher had been up to recently. The last I heard he was still recovering from a serious Mindfulness Course in Somerset. So, it's great to hear that he's made it back and has re-emerged in his natural habitat at the centre of a well-known institution, but now on the world stage and facing his biggest opportunity yet to get things right. I'm thrilled and hugely grateful to the BBC for giving me the chance to follow him again, this time all the way to Miami, and I literally can't wait to see what happens.'
Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy says: 'We'll miss Ian's invaluable contribution to the BBC as Head of Values but how could he resist getting the call-up to be a part of one of the most expansive and ambitious sporting events in the world. We wish him, and the team, all the best.'
Nerys Evans, Creative Director, Scripted at Expectation added: 'I've been a fan of John's writing for such a long time, especially seeing the different challenges he creates for poor Ian Fletcher, so beautifully portrayed by Hugh Bonneville. We're thrilled to be collaborating on Twenty Twenty Six, I can't wait to see what he's got in store for Ian this time.'
Paul Schlesinger, Executive Producer, said: 'It's 15 years since Ian Fletcher's journey started with the run-up to the London Olympics and we are delighted the BBC has given John another chance to capture the universal comedy of people trying to organise something really big in a room, but this time with an outstanding international cast.'
Twenty Twenty Six (6x30) is an Expectation production for BBC One and iPlayer with additional support from OKRE regarding climate and health expertise. The series was commissioned by Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy. The series is written and directed by John Morton. The producer is Catherine Gosling Fuller, and the Executive Producers are Paul Schlesinger, Nerys Evans and John Morton. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Emma Lawson. BBC Studios, which has a minority investment stake in Expectation, will handle global sales.
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