Diederick Santer (born 1969)[1] is a British television producer and is currently the Executive Producer of the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, with additional responsibility for developing younger skewing drama series and serials. He assumed the post on 23 October 2006.
Santer graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Psychology and the History and Philosophy of Science.
His TV career began in 1996 as a freelance script reader for United Productions before becoming script editor on the first two series of Where the Heart Is, and assistant script editor on Paul Abbott's ITV series Touching Evil.
Santer moved to Granada Television where he script-edited the first two series of A&E and The Last Train before joining BBC Drama Series and Serials in 2000, where he produced the first three series of Debbie Horsfield's hairdressing drama Cutting It, starring Sarah Parish and Amanda Holden.
Santer recently produced The Taming of the Shrew, the Bafta-nominated Much Ado About Nothing for BBC One, and a lavish adaptation of Jane Eyre.
[edit] EastEnders
Santer became Executive Producer of EastEnders on 23 October 2006. His first episode aired on 5 January 2007. He has introduced several characters to the show, including ethnic minority and homosexual characters to make the show 'feel more 21st Century'. Characters he introduced include Zainab Masood, Masood Ahmed, Christian Clarke, Whitney Dean, Tiffany Dean, Ronnie Mitchell, Roxy Mitchell, Archie Mitchell, Jack Branning, Heather Trott, Lucas Johnson, Ryan Malloy and Syed Masood.
Santer has also reintroduced past and popular characters to the programme including Bianca Jackson[2], Ricky Butcher[3], Janine Butcher[4], Sam Mitchell[5], Liam Butcher, Owen Turner, Liz Turner[6], Carol Jackson, Robbie Jackson, Sonia Fowler and Billie Jackson[7]. He reinstated Diane Butcher for a week of episodes in 2008, and brought back Clare Bates and Steven Beale for a while.
Santer will step down following the show's 25th anniversary and Bryan Kirkwood will take over[8]. Santer will continue to work at the BBC, executive producing in a special position developing "new shows that can be internally co-produced"[8].
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