Bellamy, who was responsible for a wide range of Channel 4's most successful shows including 'Big Brother', 'The Salon' and 'Brat Camp', will assume editorial responsibilty for E4 alongside his current remit.
He joined Channel 4 in 1998 as deputy editor of the current affairs strand 'Dispatches' and was promoted to head of factual in March 2003.
He replaces Murray Boland, who quit E4 to join Celador, the production company behind 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?', as head of factual entertainment.
The news comes as Channel 4 reveals it is to plough an extra £20m into E4 to spend on original commissions and US acquisitions like the hugely popular 'Desperate Housewives' and 'The OC'.
Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan will confirm the new investment, which will increase the channel's 2005 programme budget by 50% to £60m, at a Royal Television Society dinner this evening.
It is expected that E4 will become a free-to-air-service later in the year and the financial boost will give the channel greater scope for expansion.
Channel 4 also revealed that head of documentaries Peter Dale has been appointed as head of its new digital channel More4, which is due to launch later this year. Commissioning editor Danny Cohen will replace Dale.
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