Ian Katz is stepping down as chief content officer at UK network Channel 4.

The former BBC Newsnight editor will vacate his role after nine years at the end of October, making him comfortably the longest-serving content chief in Channel 4’s history.

His decision coincides with the arrival of Priya Dogra as Channel 4 CEO. The former Warner Bros. Discovery executive is now 50 days into the job, and Katz’s departure will allow her to pick her own creative leader. A recruitment process is expected to get underway imminently.

There has been speculation about Katz stepping down since Alex Mahon quit as CEO last summer, with the content chief himself admitting that his future was uncertain. Talk of potential replacements is already circulating among insiders and producers. Those linked to the role include Twofour chief creative officer David Brindley and Ben Frow, the creative figurehead at Paramount in the UK.

Dogra described Katz as an “outstanding creative leader,” with Channel 4 pointing to a legacy of shows that includes Claudia Winkleman-hosted The Piano, drama It’s A Sin, and reality series Virgin Island.

Overseeing a content budget of £643M ($870M), he is also credited with bringing comedy show Taskmaster to the network from UKTV, while documentaries like Russell Brand: In Plain Sight have delivered ratings and headlines.

In a statement, Katz said: “It’s been a privilege beyond words to lead Channel 4’s talented and passionate commissioning team through such a transformative period. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, from pioneering the evolution of a commercial public service broadcaster into a digital streaming business, to backing groundbreaking programmes and talent that have brought a bit of joy to audiences’ lives.

“Above all I’m proud that Channel 4 has continued to be as disruptive and impertinent as ever, asking the questions and covering the stories that other broadcasters and streamers won’t. The channel’s 2026 slate is stronger than ever, and I look forward to watching its continued success under Priya’s leadership.”

Katz is a well-liked executive, but there have often been questions about his nose for sustainable hits and Channel 4’s over-reliance on shows that pre-dated his tenure, including Gogglebox and The Great British Bake Off. In an email to producers, seen by Deadline, he emphasized his desire to back original British IP in an “age of reboots and reheats,” pointing to commissions like The Dog House and The Jury.

Channel 4 has also embraced the move to streaming under Katz’s watch. During his tenure, streaming increased from 20% to 50% of all Channel 4 viewing, with this figure rising to 60% among those aged under 34. He leaned into YouTube long before it was fashionable, launching Channel 4.0 and amassing 1.2M subscribers.

Katz told producers: “The channel faces numerous challenges but, in a world of consolidation, risk-averse decision making and increasingly homogenised programming, the need for an independent, irreverent, iconoclastic, Channel 4 is greater than ever.”