Kirkwood replaces Santer as 'Enders exec
Kirkwood replaces Santer as 'Enders exec
Monday, November 2 2009, 16:27 GMT
By Kris Green, Soaps Editor
Lime Pictures
Former Hollyoaks producer Bryan Kirkwood is to take the helm at the BBC's flagship soap EastEnders after Diederick Santer steps down following the show's 25th anniversary.
Since taking over in October 2006, Santer has pioneered EastEnders through some of its most powerful and controversial storylines of recent years, including the Tony/Whitney paedophile plot and Danielle's death.
His time in office has also seen the return of a handful of the soap's iconic characters such as Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen), Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer), the original Sam Mitchell (Danniella Westbrook) and from early next year, the rest of the Jackson clan, including Carol, Sonia, Robbie and Billy.
Santer also introduced the show's most successful Asian family the Masoods into Walford and spearheaded the Bradley/Stacey/Max Christmas day reveal, which was seen by an average of 14.38m viewers.
From February 19, Santer will relinquish his role to ex-Hollyoaks producer Bryan Kirkwood, who helmed the Channel 4 teen soap for three years before stepping aside to make way for his successor Lucy Allan.
Kirkwood said of his new position: "I'm a huge soap fan so for me to be the new executive producer of EastEnders is a dream come true. Diederick Santer has done an amazing job and I'll be taking over a show at the top of its game - quite a daunting task but one I can't wait to get started on."
Kirkwood headed up production of E4's late-night Hollyoaks offering Later, which featured soapland's first parachute death and a cameo performance by Welsh songstress Bonnie Tyler.
Prior to Hollyoaks, he spent a decade working at Coronation Street as a storyliner during the Richard 'Tricky Dicky' Hillman (Brian Capron) era.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...ders-exec.html
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Originally Posted by Bad Wolf
