Channel 4’s Director of Programmes, Ian Katz has appointed Karl Warner as the new Controller of E4.

In the newly created role Karl will lead the creative vision for E4 and commissioning for the youth channel brand. He will report directly to Ian Katz and work in collaboration with all the genre commissioning, programme acquisition and scheduling teams.

Alex Mahon and Ian Katz announced in May that supercharging Channel 4’s impact with young people will be a key pillar of the organisation’s strategy – and Ian Katz has increased E4’s commissioning budget by £10m, with a particular emphasis on reality and factual entertainment originations. As Controller of E4, Karl will also be working alongside the Channel 4 marketing and digital teams to develop the brand across on-demand and social media.

Karl is currently the co-Managing Director of producers, Electric Ray, a joint-venture with Sony Pictures Television which was launched in January 2014. Recent Electric Ray commissions include Million Pound Menu, Alone at Home and Doodlebugs. Prior to launching Electric Ray, Karl was a commissioning editor at the BBC, where he commissioned Undercover Princes, Russell Howard’s Good News and Junior Doctors for BBC THREE and John Bishop’s Britain, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Live at the Apollo for BBC ONE. Before joining the BBC, Karl was Head of Development at Monkey Kingdom.

Ian Katz said: “Karl has proven as both a commissioner and producer that he’s one of the most inventive, intelligent and impish figures in British television. I’m thrilled that he will be joining us at this key moment in the history of Channel 4 and can’t wait to see what he does with E4.”

Karl Warner said: “I love Electric Ray and I’ll miss Meredith and the team massively, plus Wayne and everyone at Sony who have been unbelievably supportive. I wouldn’t have dreamt of leaving if the chance to run E4 hadn’t come up - it’s a brilliant opportunity that’s too good to miss.”

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