The former BBC executive producer, who jumped ship to join Channel 4 in February last year, is to rejoin the corporation in January as controller of continuing drama series and head of independent drama.
The BBC has also poached his deputy Lucy Richer, who will share the role of commissioning of independent productions but will not be involved in continuing drama such as 'Spooks' and 'EastEnders'.
The departure of three BBC senior executives -- controller of continuing series Mal Young and head of drama series development Serena Cullen to Simon Fuller's 19TV, and head of drama commissioning Gareth Neame to production company Carnival earlier this year -- has hit the corporation's creative talent pool.
'EastEnders' executive producer Louise Berridge also handed in her notice last month, amid a poor ratings run for the soap, which saw audiences fall to an all-time low of 6m.
Insiders say the BBC is in urgent need of a surge of creative talent and Yorke, who spent two-and-a-half years at the corporation before leaving to join Channel 4 in March last year, is seen by some as the man for the job.
Channel 4 has also announced its head of film Tessa Ross is set to return to drama, following Young's departure. Ross, who was head of drama between 2000 and 2002, was responsible for commissioning the first series of 'Teachers'. She will assume her new role and remit, which is set to include television and film, early next year.
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