Coronation Street Appoints New Producer

ITV today confirmed Iain MacLeod has been appointed as the new Producer of Coronation Street, following Kate Oates’ decision to leave the soap and move into drama series production.

Kate is moving to work with ITV Studios owned label Tall Story Pictures, where she will produce the forthcoming second series of Bancroft, starring Sarah Parish.

Kate and Iain leave their respective soaps in strong form, as each is up +5% year-on-year for volume, on both consolidated and overnights ratings.

In 2018 to date, Emmerdale has increased its average audience in the consolidated ratings, pulling ahead to become the UK’s second most popular soap.

The Emmerdale appointments will take effect from the beginning of June, to coincide with Iain taking the helm at Coronation Street.

Find out more about Emmerdale's restructure

Coronation Street continues to be the UK’s most popular soap, with Good Friday's 8:30pm episode scoring the highest rating in this slot in more than 4 years when 9.4m viewers tuned in to see Phelan confess his string of crimes to Eileen at the lighthouse.

Across that week, Coronation Street delivered an impressive 40% share among 16-34's, the soap’s highest share for this demographic since just before the tram crash in 2010.

ITV Studios Creative Director for Coronation Street and Emmerdale, John Whiston, said:

"There’s a lot to praise here! Kate Oates has transformed Coronation Street during her tenure. This has been reflected both in the huge critical acclaim the show has been getting and in the ratings.

"We are now used to opening the overnights and seeing Coronation Street has delivered its highest ratings for many years, a herculean achievement in this box set era. Kate has done this whilst putting onscreen some groundbreaking and socially important stories such as the Bethany grooming story and David’s rape story. It is a testament to her brilliant editorial touch that these stories, though difficult, have been both credible and engaging.

"Meanwhile, Kate has unleashed on us one of the finest villains in soap history with Pat Phelan and his dastardly deeds. And the show has continued day in day out to provide the viewer with top notch Corrie humour from Liz to Moira, from Steve to Tracy, from Sally to Tim. Doing all this while taking the show from 5 episodes to 6 episodes a week is a phenomenal achievement by Kate and something of which those who work on the show and those who watch it are hugely appreciative.”

On Iain MacLeod’s time at Emmerdale, John commented:

“Meanwhile, over the Pennines, Emmerdale has been going through its own golden period under Iain MacLeod’s aegis. It too has built its audience volume and share. And it has delivered some truly memorable storylines.

Ashley’s dementia was notable not just for the strength of the story, but for the way it was told with some soap defining drama, such as the episode all seen through Ashley’s point of view. Equally hard hitting, though in a different way, was the multi-car pile up on Hotten bypass. Emmerdale has a reputation for delivering big stunts and this one was the biggest and most spectacular, as well as the most intricately plotted and it came from the perfect soap brain of the supremely talented Iain MacLeod.

It is no wonder Emmerdale has won pretty much a clean sweep of the awards in the last year, a run interrupted only by Coronation Street’s RTS Award.”

Iain MacLeod moves to Coronation Street following his successful tenure as Producer of Emmerdale which has seen the Yorkshire based soap tackle a range of notable storylines including the recent acid attack inflicted on Ross, the reuniting of Robron following an acrimonious break up after Rebecca gave birth to Robert’s son, Seb, the realisation that Faith Dingle has suffered a double mastectomy and Emma Barton’s demise following the death of James.

Emmerdale has also received a remarkable string of awards during Iain’s time as Producer including a BAFTA for Best Continuing Drama in 2017, the RTS Award for Continuing Drama in 2016 and 2017 and the National Television Award for Serial Drama for consecutive years in 2017 and 2018.

Prior to Iain taking his position at Emmerdale in 2015 he was Series Producer at Hollyoaks, a role he held since 2013. A former Coronation Street researcher and Story Editor from July 2009 until 2013, Iain left the programme in 2013 to join Hollyoaks and was promoted to Series Producer shortly afterwards.

Commented Iain MacLeod:

"Working on Emmerdale at a time when it’s enjoyed such success has been a total joy and I will miss the people and the place immensely - it’s a special show full of huge talent.

Only Corrie could have tempted me away. It gave me my first job in TV as an Assistant Researcher many years ago and to be returning as Producer is the fulfilment of a longstanding dream. It’ll be like a reunion with an old friend and I look forward to continuing the amazing work already being done by everyone connected with the show.”

WATCH: This year on Corrie

Kate Oates leaves Coronation Street in an exceptionally good place after seeing the iconic soap transition from five to six episodes each week in September 2017. Kate has also recently overseen an array of significantly memorable storylines including Eva and Maria’s infamous catfight following Aidan’s admission on his wedding day that he’d been in love with both women, Bethany’s grooming story, the realisation Zeedan’s wife Rana was in love with Kate, the return of Carla Conner to Coronation Street and Phelan’s reign of terror on the Weatherfield community.

Kate has also been responsible for the powerfully compelling story of David Platt’s rape, which has recently won huge praise for the soap from the audience and critics alike for tackling such difficult subject matter and raising awareness of such a devastating sexual assault.

During Kate’s time as Producer, Coronation Street also achieved the prestigious BAFTA Best Soap and Continuing Drama Award in 2015 and the RTS Award for Continuing Drama earlier this year.

Commented Kate Oates:

"Being a part of Coronation Street has quite simply been one of the best experiences of my life. I am proud of the stories we have told and the impact they have had - and I’ve had a ball working with one of the best and most talented teams in television.

"I’ll be forever grateful for this opportunity and all it has given me; but I’m also excited to try something new. I can’t wait to make a start on Bancroft, working with the brilliant Sarah Parish and Tall Story Pictures - and I’ll continue to love watching both ITV soaps from the comfort of my sofa."

Kate will begin work on with ITV Studios owned label, Tall Story Pictures, later this summer alongside Creative Director, Catherine Oldfield and writer and Executive Producer, Kate Brooke.

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