Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

International Women's Day 2021: The Rise of BBC Sport's Debbie Dubois

08/03/2021

Straight from school to head of production: The rise of BBC Sport's Debbie Dubois International Womens Day 2021 focus By Heather McLean, Editor

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 17:03

Print This Story

BBC Sport's head of production, Debbie Dubois

Today most people feel that a degree is an absolute necessity when seeking a job in sports broadcasting. It has not always been this way, however, and the rise of BBC Sport's head of production, Debbie Dubois, is a perfect example of making your way to the top on talent and initiative, determination and resilience.

She says: The industry felt quite different in the late eighties when I first started out, and so my route in and background didn't necessarily mirror that of my colleagues. Having not come via the university degree route I struggled with that initially in terms of my career progression and the confidence to believe that I could make that next step.

Think more broadly than sport to gain as wide an experience across a wealth of genres at the start of your career; that wider knowledge and experience will stand you in good stead and the skills you gain will be transferrable to sport but will give you a different perspective

Now it's not even a consideration; I see it as a positive that I came in without a degree, from a northern working class background, and worked my way up, Dubois claims. You need determination and resilience to push through those challenges and know that you bring something different to each role in terms of your background and experiences. Finding a mentor who can give you that support, endorsement, and push is also crucial, and at various points along the way I had that guidance when I needed it.

With diversity and inclusion at the forefront of most broadcasters' agendas now, and with International Women's Day 2021 on 8 March upon us, it is important to see how those in the industry can make positive steps towards wider diversity and inclusion.

Seeing women in any role across the business can make a difference to that inclusion, says Dubois. Particularly if those women are in leadership roles. You need those role models for others to see that it is possible to make that progression. Finding a mentor who can support you and advise at various points, particularly when you feel you've hit a wall with regards to your career progression, can be invaluable. Likewise, make sure you acknowledge the importance of teamwork and recognising those around you who are often in the background but who play a vital role in their contribution.

She comments on what she would advise other women looking to get into a role similar to her own: Think more broadly than sport to gain as wide an experience across a wealth of genres at the start of your career; that wider knowledge and experience will stand you in good stead and the skills you gain will be transferrable to sport but will give you a different perspective, she continues. The same applies to roles and progression; I worked in radio for a period of time and working with smaller teams and tight budgets makes you creative in terms of your decision making and finding solutions.

BBC Sport's production management team in the World Cup 2019 studio in Russia, with head of production Debbie Dubois front left

Upwardly mobile

Dubois did not have TV broadcasting on her radar at first. As a career path it wasn't something I even had considered at school, she says. I did a business studies course with Spanish at college and then came into the BBC in a business support role.

The BBC offered - and still does - so many ways to progress your career and the opportunities it presented to me really sparked my interest in production, she continues. Once in, I took every opportunity to gain production experience, from manning phones on a Saturday for a children's show to sending out factsheets in the evenings after the day job finished, or working on appeal night for Children in Need. It all gave me valuable experience so that I could apply for production roles.

For over 20 years, Dubois worked in both TV and radio, moving around the BBC's factual, daytime, lifestyle and events departments, covering everything from a Papal visit to a royal funeral. Working in factual offered exposure to a range of formats, from magazine style to live studios and OB programmes, which included an element of live events.

I also worked across lifestyle titles such as Countryfile and cookery series, daytime consumer shows with high volume, low cost production models, which had a very different set of issues from delivering a major event in an overseas location, she says. All of those varied experiences shape your thinking and give you that breadth of knowledge to deal with whatever production challenges might come your way.

When the role in BBC Sport came up in 2011, she was a highly experienced production executive who had been working in factual for over a decade. I felt the time was right for me to try a new genre, so I applied for it and was appointed.

It was a, tricky time to join BBC Sport, as the department was still in the early stages of its move to Media City, and so operations, teams and Dubois' time was split between London and Salford for at least 18 months. There were new studios, technical facilities, and buildings to get across, but once we got through that initial period and the teams were all relocated it got easier to manage, she says. By then I had familiarised myself with a new department. In some ways moving across into sports output and the skills transfer across in terms of production was the easier bit, it was more of the culture change and joining at a time when for many the move and relocating was a huge life change for them.

Now, Dubois says it feels a very different place to work. The site has cont
LINK: https://www.svgeurope.org/blog/headlines/straight-from-school-to-head-...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

27/03/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 9: Chicago Cubs' Chris Simonson - Flying the W at Wrigley Field

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

27/03/2026

Comcast Business Powers 2026 THE PLAYERS Championship Network and Broadcast Infrastructure

Comcast Business deployed network infrastructure for the 2026 PLAYERS Championsh...

27/03/2026

CS live Equips New OB Van With Riedel MediorNet, hi Control System, and Artist Intercom

Czech production company CS live has equipped its newest outside broadcast van w...

27/03/2026

Edith Cowan University Installs Lawo VSM, HOME, and mc36 in New Broadcast Facility

Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Western Australia has developed new broad...

27/03/2026

Deltatre Appoints Marc Watson as CEO; Andrea Marini Transitions to Deputy Chairman

Deltatre has announced that CEO Andrea Marini will step down after five years in...

27/03/2026

DAZN to Launch Inflight and Onboard Live Sports Service in 2027

DAZN has announced plans to launch DAZN Inflight, a live sports service for airline and maritime passengers, slated for 2027. Aviv Giladi, President of DAZN Par...

27/03/2026

Grass Valley and NVP Deploy Camera Systems for LALIGA Broadcast Production

Grass Valley has announced the completion of a live production deployment with NVP, a European media company specializing in live sports production, for LALIGA ...

27/03/2026

The Masters, Prime Video Will Debut Inside Amen Corner' Stat-Enhanced Viewing Experience

The Masters and Prime Video will debut Inside Amen Corner, a dedicated feed that...

27/03/2026

ESPN and World Series of Poker Reach Multi-Year Agreement

ESPN and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) have reached a multi-year agreement to bring the WSOP Main Event back to ESPN platforms. Coverage will include a three...

27/03/2026

USSI Global Opens Media Transport Solutions Lab Ahead of C-Band Transition

USSI Global has opened its Media Transport Solutions Lab on its Melbourne campus. The engineering center provides a platform-agnostic environment for testing al...

27/03/2026

UFL Names Sportable Official Connected Ball and Player Tracking Partner

The United Football League (UFL) has named Sportable its Official Connected Ball and Player Tracking Partner. Sportable's connected football and wearable pl...

27/03/2026

Atlanta Braves and Fubo Reach Multiyear Distribution Agreement for BravesVision

The Atlanta Braves and FuboTV have announced a multiyear distribution agreement to carry BravesVision on Fubo's live TV streaming platform beginning Opening...

27/03/2026

As UFL Structure Evolves, League Boosts Broadcast Infrastructure at New Home Stadiums

Besides restructuring for Season 3, the league worked with FOX and ESPN over the...

27/03/2026

Atlanta Braves and DIRECTV Reach Multiyear Distribution Agreement for BravesVision

The Atlanta Braves open their 2026 MLB season tonight against the Kansas City Ro...

27/03/2026

New Venues, New Tech: How FOX Sports, ESPN Are Reinventing Their UFL Broadcasts for Year 3

With new teams and new venues to adapt to, the spring-football league's part...

27/03/2026

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Grace Glowicki, the Filmmaker Behind Dead Lover

By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...

27/03/2026

GIK Acoustics expand Bass Trap Panel range

New Classic, Amplitude & FlexRange units introduced GIK Acoustics have just introduced a trio of new bass trap designs that bring improved low-end absorptio...

27/03/2026

Sonarworks release SoundID Tools app

Offers personalised Dolby Atmos headphone monitoring Sonarworks have put their calibration expertise to work on a new mobile app that allows users to create...

27/03/2026

NITV to broadcast farewell to Rhoda Roberts AO with special coverage and week-long tribute

NITV to broadcast farewell to Rhoda Roberts AO with special coverage and week-lo...

27/03/2026

FCC Opposes Emergency Motion to Stay Nexstar/Tegna Merger

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

NAB Pans Netflix's Coverage of MLB Opening Day

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

2026 NAB Show Exhibitor Insight: Netgear

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

Marshall Electronics Showcases New Feature-Rich CV320 and CV520 IP and 3G-SDI POV Cameras at NAB 2026

Marshall Electronics Showcases New Feature-Rich CV320 and CV520 IP and 3G-SDI PO...

27/03/2026

Sony Electronics Inc. Elevates Professional Video Workflows with Powerful Updates to Monitor & Control and Catalyst Tools

Sony Electronics Inc. Elevates Professional Video Workflows with Powerful Update...

27/03/2026

GatesAir Extends AirWatch365 Managed Service with Edge Gateway Site Appliance

GatesAir Extends AirWatch365 Managed Service with Edge Gateway Site Appliance Brie Clayton March 27, 2026 0 Comments NAB marks global launch of servic...

27/03/2026

GatesAir Expands AirWatch365 Managed Service

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

Dejero, Eutelsat, Others to Offer 'Field to Air' Demo at NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

Global NextGen TV Takes Center Stage at 2026 NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

USSI Global Opens Media Transport Solutions Lab

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

27/03/2026

Net Insight Elevates Nimbra Edge to Govern Live Media Sys...

At NAB Show 2026, Net Insight will showcase the next evolution of Nimbra Edge, its orchestration and control layer designed to manage live media services across...

27/03/2026

Harmonic Delivers Winning Live Sports Streaming Innovatio...

Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced powerful new innovations that further elevate the company's sports streaming solution. The advanced capabilities enh...

27/03/2026

Bitmovin s Player Web X Expands with Performance First Ad...

Bitmovin, the leading provider of video streaming solutions, today announced significant new capabilities for Player Web X, its next-generation web video player...

27/03/2026

CS live Builds Future Ready OB Van With Riedel MediorNet...

Riedel Communications today announced that Czech-based production company CS live has equipped its newest outside broadcast (OB) van with an integrated Riedel i...

27/03/2026

MPTS 2026 Unveils First Wave of Speakers Featuring BBC Sk...

130 Industry Experts Confirmed as Show Celebrates its 10th Anniversary MPTS, the UK's largest and most influential event for the media, production and tech...

27/03/2026

Grass Valley and NVP Elevate LALIGA Broadcast Production...

Grass Valley today announced the successful completion of a major live production deployment with NVP, a leading European media company specializing in live spo...

27/03/2026

Appear Business Momentum Drives Leadership in Live Produc...

Showcases resilient solutions for satellite-to-IP migration, REMI and hybrid live production Appear ASA (Appear, OSE:APR), a global leader in live production t...

27/03/2026

Lightware MX2 delivers rock-solid 4K60 HDMI 10-bit signal...

San Francisco, California, March 2026 - Microsoft Ignite, a major annual conference hosted by Microsoft for developers, IT professionals, partners and business ...

27/03/2026

Clear-Coms EQUIP Wireless System Keeps Youth With A Missi...

Clear-Com is proud to highlight its support for worship teams through professional communication solutions, with the deployment of its EQUIP wireless system a...

27/03/2026

Orban Collaborates with Sage on Virtualized EAS Technology Demo

Orban Collaborates with Sage on Virtualized EAS Technology Demo Brie Clayton March 26, 2026 0 Comments Sage Alerting Systems (SAS), in cooperation wit...

27/03/2026

Berklee Alums Bring GIANT to Broadway

Berklee Alums Bring GIANT to Broadway Brian and Dayna Lee BM '13 met and fell in love at Berklee, and now their production companys first Broadway debut i...

27/03/2026

RT is Supporting 20 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this April

RT Supporting the Arts RT is Supporting 20 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this April RT is proud to support an exciting month of arts and cul...

27/03/2026

Average of 1.37 million viewers watched Irish World Cup heartbreak on RT2

Average of 1.37 million viewers watched Irish World Cup heartbreak on RT 2 Over one million streams on RT Player Highest number of streams for any single eve...

27/03/2026

Dolby Unveils Dolby House Shanghai, its First Global Flagship Experience Center

March 27 2026, 01:30 (PDT) Dolby Unveils Dolby House Shanghai, its First Global Flagship Experience Center A New Global Platform Showcasing Dolbys Innovatio...