Coronation Street boss Kate Oates to take control of EastEnders

Former Coronation Street boss Kate Oates is to take control of EastEnders, the BBC has announced.

Kate will join BBC Studios as Senior Executive Producer, also overseeing the channel’s continuing dramas Holby City and Casualty.

Kate previously worked at ITV on Coronation Street after moving from Emmederale.

Kate Oates said today: “Working across EastEnders, Casualty and Holby City is an amazing opportunity for me to have creative input into three of the UK’s leading dramas. I’m excited about meeting the teams and talent behind each show and can’t wait to get stuck in and tell some unmissable stories.”

Mark Linsey, CCO, BBC Studios, commented: “Kate is a dynamic, passionate and creative storyteller and I couldn’t be more thrilled that she’s joining BBC Studios to work with our fantastic teams at EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty.

“At EastEnders, she will be taking the baton from John Yorke, who stepped in to run the show on a temporary basis in June 2017. I’d like to personally thank him for the great job he’s done during this interim period. John will continue to work together with Kate to ensure a smooth handover until the end of the year, and we will be announcing his next role with us in the coming weeks.”

Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content, added: “Kate Oates is a really thrilling appointment; she has a real passion for soaps and I have no doubt that her experience, creative flair and dynamism will excite the next generation of BBC One soap fans. I would like to thank John Yorke for everything he has done over the last year on EastEnders and I look forward to seeing Kate take over the creative baton.”

Piers Wenger, Controller, BBC Drama, said: “Kate’s track record for making continuing drama the nation’s most talked about TV is unrivalled and we are thrilled to welcome her dynamic creative leadership to EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty. Working closely with John Yorke in the coming months, we are particularly excited to see Kate unveil her plans for the residents of Albert Square. She’s going to be brilliant.”

Kate originally started working in soaps on Crossroads in 2003 before moving to BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers.

Her career then saw her working as a story editor on Emmerdale between 2010 and 2012. Kate joined Corrie in 2012 as an assistant producer before taking over as series producer in 2016.

As well as working on the show’s main storylines and characters, Katie was in control of the show’s move from airing five episodes per week to six episodes each week.