Piers Wenger has been poached from Channel 4 to be the BBC’s new controller of drama commissioning.
He will be responsible for commissioning across the whole of the BBC portfolio and overseeing more than 450 hours of drama a year on the BBC.
Wenger has been head of drama at Channel 4 since 2012, commissioning the likes of Paul Abbott’s No Offence and Humans.
Prior to that he was head of drama at BBC Wales and was the executive producer of Doctor Who when Matt Smith was in the lead role.
His other BBC commissioning credits include Eric And Ernie starring Victoria Wood.
Charlotte Moore, BBC controller of TV channels and iPlayer, said: “Piers is a brilliant creative leader with great taste and a passion for writing. He has a breadth of experience and knowledge of the global industry, as well as a real understanding of audiences.
“BBC Drama is in exceptional form and I’m thrilled that Piers will continue to build on this and enhance our world-class reputation. I’m really excited by his ideas and vision and I’m looking forward to working with him and leading BBC drama to future success.”
On his appointment, Wenger said: “I have had an unforgettable and brilliant time at Channel 4 and it is with real sadness that I am saying goodbye. But the scope and scale of BBC Drama make this an irresistible challenge and I could not be more excited about joining the talented team there and for the new relationships and creative adventures which lie ahead of me at the BBC.”