Coronation Street producer Kate Oates announces she's quit in new statement
She's leaving in June!
Author: Alex RossPublished 24th Apr 2018
She's recently been criticised by viewers for her 'dark' storylines, and now Coronation Street producer Kate Oates has announced she will be leaving the soap after just two years in charge.
Announcing the news via a statement this morning, the 39-year-old admitted she is 'excited' to move on and revealed she is set to work on ITV drama series Bancroft.
Her statement read, "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."
In more changes at ITV, Iain MacLeod, who is the current boss at Emmerdale, with take over from Kate on Corrie in June this year.
Speaking about his new role, Iain said, "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 fulfillment of a long-standing 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."
Check out which soap stars fell in love on set:
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Coronation Street producer Kate Oates announces she's quit in new statement
2 of 25
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Coronation Street stars Sally Carman and Joe Duttine are reportedly dating after a string of 'secret dates'. After attending Corrie's summer party together in July, reports suggest the couple are very happy together.
Status: Dating
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Hollyoaks actors Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen) and Rory Douglas Speed (Joel Dexter) took their on-screen romance into real life!
Rory popped the question to Nadine in December 2018 - during a trip to Amsterdam! Status: Engaged
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Peter Amory and Claire King
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Nicole Barber - Lane and Liam Fox
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009, but new reports suggest they have now split. Status: Split
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The Eastenders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The EastEnders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - This casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - These Casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, aroelerin)
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, jennarosenow)
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017
Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017.
Status: Split
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Coronation Street stars Sally Carman and Joe Duttine are reportedly dating after a string of 'secret dates'. After attending Corrie's summer party together in July, reports suggest the couple are very happy together.
Status: Dating
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Hollyoaks actors Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen) and Rory Douglas Speed (Joel Dexter) took their on-screen romance into real life!
Rory popped the question to Nadine in December 2018 - during a trip to Amsterdam! Status: Engaged
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Peter Amory and Claire King
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Nicole Barber - Lane and Liam Fox
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009, but new reports suggest they have now split. Status: Split
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The Eastenders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The EastEnders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - This casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - These Casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, aroelerin)
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, jennarosenow)
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017
Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017.
Status: Split
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Kate first joined Coronation Street when she replaced Stuart Blackburn in 2016.
During her two years in charge, the popular soap has seen a rise in a number of strong and diverse storylines, such as Bethany Platt's sex ring scandal, Pat Phelan's murders and the recent rape of David Platt.
However, despite a number of Coronation Street viewers thinking the soap had turned too 'dark', it seems this isn't the reason Kate has decided to move on.
Speaking about her upcoming exit, ITV's Creative Director for Corrie and Emmerdale 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 on screen 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."
Kate will leave her role at Coronation Street in June.