BBC head moves to Channel 4

Yorke has a strong CV in TV drama production

John Yorke, former executive producer of EastEnders, has been appointed head of drama at Channel 4.

Yorke - currently the BBC's head of drama series - has been credited with steering EastEnders' recent critical and ratings successes.

He left Albert Square in May last year to take charge of flagship BBC dramas such as Casualty, Holby City and Merseybeat.

But he will probably be best remembered as the man who brought the rumbustious Slater family to BBC One's biggest soap.

Yorke brought the Slaters to Albert Square

Yorke replaces Tessa Ross who is moving to take charge of Channel 4's film commissioning and production activities.

He said he was sad to be leaving the BBC but excited to be "working with the full range of independent talent" offered by Channel 4.

"Channel 4 has an obvious and growing appetite for returning drama series that appeal to its core audience and reinforce its reputation for risk and innovation," he said.

He will join the network in the spring, reporting to director of programmes Tim Gardam.

TV drama

Before becoming EastEnders executive producer, Yorke had worked as a script editor and story editor on the soap.

He has also worked in development for BBC TV drama and produced two series of City Central as well as spending a brief spell with Grundy Television as a soap consultant.

Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson recently unveiled a £7.5m increase in the station's drama spend for 2003.

Upcoming shows include a third series of Teachers, and 40 starring Eddie Izzard, Joanne Whalley and Hugo Speer.