Little more than 50 days into her new job, the biggest news of Priya Dogra‘s Channel 4 era has arrived: Ian Katz, the UK network’s longest-serving chief content officer, is stepping down in a few months. With that, one of the biggest jobs in British television has opened up at a crucial, near existential moment for the nation’s irreverent, youth-skewing broadcaster.
Having had no prior TV commissioning experience, former Newsnight editor Katz was a shock pick when he joined in 2018. He leaves behind a complex legacy. Supporters point to his embrace of Channel 4’s “imp in the mechanism” spirit and his assuredness in the role in recent years, leading to shows like The Piano and drama Dirty Business. Detractors say Katz is well-liked but not always well-rated, with questions about his nose for sustainable hits and Channel 4’s over-reliance on shows that pre-dated his tenure, including Gogglebox and
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