Hailed as the man who saved EastEnders from disaster, showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins will be leaving the soap in the coming months it's been revealed by the BBC, who confirmed that The Archers editor Sean O'Connor will be stepping into the role.
Dominic Treadwell-Collins / Credit: BBC
Despite departing the soap, Dominic will still be responsible for Barbara Windsor's final scenes and the return of Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell.
A statement released by the BBC sees the producer say: "I always give it my all - and after two and a half years of giving my blood to Walford, it is time for me to move on to other things - and keep EastEnders creatively refreshed, something that it has to do to stay at the top of its game.
"It's going to be gut-wrenching to tear myself away from everyone at EastEnders.
"It's an utterly unique place to work, with everyone working so hard and with such passion - and I am so proud to have led that brilliant team over the past couple of years.
"I know that EastEnders will continue to thrive under Sean and I'm looking forward to watching the show as a viewer again."
Sean meanwhile has worked on radio drama The Archers since the late 90s, with EastEnders credits in the past as well as credits for Hollyoaks and Footballers' Wives amongst other things.
He comments: "Dominic hands over EastEnders in robust health. It's a testament to his endless commitment, infectious enthusiasm and rich imagination that the programme remains BBC One's flagship drama.
"I'm thrilled to be back in Walford and particularly delighted to work once more with many dear friends and colleagues both backstage and on screen. I loved my time working at EastEnders previously; there's nothing quite as challenging nor as rewarding.
"So I feel very honoured to be asked back to lead the wonderful cast, crew and production team at Elstree."
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