Keelan announced as BBC Daytime controller

Jana Bennett, director of BBC Vision, today named Liam Keelan as Controller, BBC Daytime.

Keelan, who joins later this year, will report to Peter Fincham, controller, BBC One. He will be a member of Jana's senior Vision management team.

Jana Bennett said: "I'm delighted that Liam will be leading BBC Daytime – he really understands the daytime audience and is passionate about being ambitious about the programmes we offer across BBC One and BBC Two daytime in all genres, all of which give the BBC the leading edge in daytime."

"I can't think of anybody better to take on the challenge of BBC Daytime. It's great to have Liam back at his natural home, the BBC."said Peter Fincham.

Keelan started his career at the BBC in audience research before becoming deputy scheduler for BBC Two in 1998 taking over as head of scheduling for the channel in 1999. He was head of scheduling and planning for BBC One between 2002 and 2006 where he was part of the team who developed the strategy to reinvent Saturday nights with the launches of Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing. He was appointed as controller, daytime, at ITV in April 2006.

Liam Keelan said: "I've had a great time working at ITV and being part of the changes Simon Shaps and the team have brought about. The opportunity to take on this role at the BBC was too good to pass up, though. It's a very exciting time to be developing the strategy for daytime and I'm really looking forward to getting started."