Kate Oates Joins BBC Studios as Senior Executive Producer

Kate Oates, producer of Coronation Street and Emmerdale, is to join BBC Studios as senior executive producer, overseeing the continuing dramas EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty.

Oates joined the Emmerdale team in 2010, rising from story editor to series producer, before moving across to produce Coronation Street in 2016. She left earlier this year and is currently producing the second season of Bancroft for ITV. Oates will report into Oliver Kent, head of continuing drama series. She takes up her role in October.

Oates said: “Working across EastEnders, Casualty and Holby City is an amazing opportunity for me to have creative input into three of the U.K.’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 of BBC Studios, said: “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 of BBC Content, said: “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 of BBC Drama, said: “Kate’s track record for making continuing drama the nation’s most talked about TV is unrivaled 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.”