Ayela Butt to take on new role of Creative Director at  Firebird Pictures

Firebird Pictures has today announced that former BBC Drama Commissioning Executive Ayela Butt has been promoted to a newly created role of Creative Director at the London based scripted production company, owned by BBC Studios.

Prior to joining Firebird Pictures back in October 2023, Ayela was Executive Producer on some of BBC Drama’s biggest hits of recent years including The Gold, The Pursuit of Love, Ridley Road, Life After Life, and Nicôle Lecky’s Mood.

In the role of Creative Director, Ayela will work closely with Firebird Pictures co-founders Liz Kilgarrif (CEO) and Craig Holleworth (COO) to drive the editorial success of the company forwards with a focus on character-led contemporary series. Firebird Pictures as a company is committed to bringing a diversity of voices to the screen to tell bold and entertaining stories for a global audience.

The creation of the new role comes at a prolific time for Firebird, with upcoming commissions including Nicôle Lecky’s original thriller Wild Cherry (BBC), Theresa Ikoko’s hotly anticipated adaptation of Nikki May’s Wahala (BBC) and Outrageous, the story of the notorious Mitford Sisters (UKTV/BritBox). The Jetty, written by Cat Jones and starring Jenna Coleman as Detective Ember Manning , was one of the BBC’s highest rating new dramas of 2024 and recently launched on Hulu and BritBox in the US.

Ayela Butt, Creative Director Firebird Pictures said: “I’ve loved working with Liz and Craig over the last year—they are brilliant creative leaders with exceptional taste who have always championed bold and ambitious storytelling. I couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter at Firebird.”

Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth, co-founders Firebird Pictures said:  “We’re thrilled that Ayela has accepted the role of Creative Director. Her vision, talent, and enthusiasm will be invaluable as she leads Firebird into the next phase of creativity and growth. With her keen eye for nurturing talented writers and spotting bold innovative ideas, she’s the perfect fit to guide our creative team to even greater success.”