Jane Millichip

Source: ©BAFTA/Sophia Spring

Jane Millichip

Jane Millichip began her career as a journalist before working in the TV industry for 25 years, including as chief content officer for Sky Studios for almost 10 years. She took over as Bafta CEO from Amanda Berry in October 2022, and is now gearing up for the Bafta Film Awards ceremony today (February 16).

What is your office like?

The London team has just moved into a new office on Poland Street in Soho; I’m there three days a week. Most people think we work from that beautiful building, 195 Piccadilly, our HQ, but there’s no office space there. Now we’re all on one floor and have a tap that gives us sparkling water. 

What is the first thing you do when you arrive?

Bark “hello” to everyone. It’s quite easy, in our plugged-in world, to just walk in and sit down and not say hello. But I think it’s quite important.

Who do you look up to in the industry?

Our chair, Sara Putt, is incredible: a smart, lovely person who conducts herself with such dignity and is enormous fun.

Who helped you when you were first starting out?

[UK TV industry veteran] Sophie Turner Laing. She literally picked me out of the gutter the first time I met her in Cannes at a TV market. It was raining, I was wearing kitten heels, and we were running to a restaurant with a group of people, and someone pushed me to make me go faster. I went flying — and Sophie helped me up. She has given me so much great advice over the years.

What was your favourite film growing up?

Everything my dad introduced me to that was classic Hollywood. My favourite film then, and now, is Casablanca.

What’s the most impressive answer you’ve been given in an interview?

Recently I interviewed someone whose qualifications and background were a little surprising, given the role they had applied for. I asked, “Why are you going for this job?” He said, “Because I want to know what you know.” He got the job

Who’s the most famous person in your contact book?

When I joined Bafta, I inherited the [digital] Rolodex of my predecessor and came across the name ‘Banksy’. But it turned out to be Banksy’s people, not Banksy himself.

What are you most proud of professionally?

Still being here, in a role I care about. Having a role with agency, still being considered relevant. Our industry evolves constantly and you’ve got to stay on your toes.

With whom would you most like to take a meeting?

It’s the first time I’ve had a role where I could call up almost anybody and they would at least be intrigued to answer the phone. But it’s not about me, it’s about the role.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the business?

The screen arts have traditionally experienced a boom-and-bust cycle which is challenging because you’re always picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and going again. The community is resilient but I’d like us not to have to feel that we have to be quite so resilient to withstand that. Specifically in the UK, we have a challenge over the balance between the strength of a domestic production business and inward investment. The inward investment has been tremendous, with the growth of the studios and the amount of production in the UK. But I worry that British production is starting to lose the value chain and lose the copyright. We need a strong domestic sector, as well as that inward investment to maintain the talent pipeline.

What would you do if you didn’t work in this industry?

A professional surfer. And a speechwriter.

What book are you reading?

William S Burroughs’ Junkie and Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera.

What’s the one TV series you’d recommend everyone to watch?

I rewatch The Two Ronnies all the time. They are so fantastically silly.

What do you do to unwind?

Swim in a cold lake. And I’m a home bartender and invent cocktails.

Who would play you in the biopic of your life and who would direct?

Will Ferrell would star and it would be a directorial collaboration between John Carpenter and Coralie Fargeat.

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