Santer becomes EastEnders chief as Harwood promoted

Published Thursday 22 June 2006 at 10:10 by Liz Thomas

EastEnders will have its fourth executive producer in less than three years, as current incumbent Kate Harwood has been promoted to head of series and serials, following an overhaul of the entire senior management team in drama.

Cutting It and Much Ado About Nothing producer Diederick Santer will take over the job of looking after the BBC’s flagship soap and has also been given the responsibility of developing youth-skewed drama and serials.

Meanwhile John Yorke, who previously ran continuing drama series and independent drama, will now head all in-house productions in the genre. A replacement will need to be found to work with his deputy Lucy Richer on independent drama. Leading producer Nicholas Brown, who worked on the recent Stephen Poliakoff epics Friends and Crocodiles, and Gideon’s Daughter, will take on the new role of director of drama production, while Sally Woodward Gentle, the current acting head of drama series and serials, becomes creative director and is charged with all development. The restructure puts all of the in-house production team for England in one team.

Director of drama, entertainment and children’s Alan Yentob said: “This outstanding team will work in partnership to lead the newly invigorated and talented in-house drama department. I am confident that they will build on the considerable successes of the past few years and seize the opportunities ahead. The new department will become the largest developer and producer of drama in the UK, with the broadest range of output and best array of talent.”