Kate Oates (born 1979 or 1980) is a British television producer, who was born in Nottingham and graduated from Warwick University. She began her career working as a researcher and editorial assistant for Germaine Greer, before becoming a script editor for the soap opera Crossroads. In 2003, she joined the radio soap The Archers as a producer, a position which Oates credits as the majority of her training. After resigning from this job, Oates began working on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale as a script editor, during which time she assisted with the soap's fortieth anniversary celebrations and worked on British Soap Award-winning storylines. She remained in the position until 2012 when she joined Coronation Street as the assistant producer.

In October 2012, Oates was announced as the series producer of Emmerdale, a position she began three months later. As series producer, Oates oversaw a surge in the popularity of the programme. Her duration at Emmerdale received positive acclaim from critics of the genre. She resigned from the show and left in December 2015. After leaving Emmerdale, Oates transferred to Coronation Street as the series producer, a move which was praised by ITV personnel. While in the position, the show's ratings and critical acclaim increased, although Oates' darker storylines received mixed critical response and led to the soap being reported to Ofcom for the inclusion of violent imagery during the pre-watershed time frame. Oates announced her resignation from Coronation Street in April 2018, where it was announced that she would join production company Tall Story Pictures producing series 2 of Bancroft.

Oates' hiring by the BBC as the senior executive producer of EastEnders, Casualty and Holby City was announced in August 2018. With the announcement came praise from multiple personnel of the BBC, including the BBC's director of content, Charlotte Moore. Oates' primary responsibility in the position is her work on EastEnders its executive producer. She was later promoted to Head of Continuing Drama at BBC Studios in 2019, overseeing six BBC soap operas and dramas, remaining in creative control of EastEnders.

Oates was born in Nottingham, England. She attended Ockbrook School and Warwick University, where she graduated with an English and Theatre degree. Actress Rosie Marcel revealed in a December 2019 interview with the Metro that Oates used to be a Samaritan.

Oates begun her career as a researcher and editorial assistant for writer, Germaine Greer and credited Greer as "inspiring", "inimitable", "kind" and "enthusiastic". She moved to Carlton Television as a researcher and script editor for soap opera, Crossroads, which she continued until 2003. Crossroads was cancelled in March 2003, with the final episode airing in May. Oates' work on Crossroads lead her to begin producing BBC Radio 4 soap opera, The Archers, a place which she credits as the "bulk of her training". In 2012, Oates praised The Archers's editor of twenty-one years, Vanessa Whitburn, calling her "inspiring". Oates produced the soap opera for seven years, choosing to leave in 2010.

Oates began working on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale in early 2010 as a story editor, under then-producer, Gavin Blyth. Oates edited various storylines for the show, including Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller) assisting the suicide of his boyfriend, Jackson Walsh (Marc Silcock), which won the British Soap Award for Best Storyline in 2012. Oates held a key role in the soap's fortieth anniversary celebrations and said that she was "proud" to be involved. Oates left her position at Emmerdale in 2012, having worked on the show for two and a half years. Reflecting on Oates' work on the show as story editor, John Whiston, the creative director of ITV soaps, commented, "Kate swept into Emmerdale a couple of years ago with a deadly combination of determination and brio. She soon proved her worth to the show, working on stories that ranged from the extremely tough to the light and funny."

"I'm delighted to be Emmerdale's new producer as I'm passionate about the programme and everyone who works on the show. [...] I feel very lucky to be returning to such a wonderfully successful show. I'm in awe of the cast, crew and writing team and it's a privilege to be renewing my working relationship with everyone."

On 15 October 2012, Oates was announced to be succeeding Stuart Blackburn as the series producer of Emmerdale. Having left the soap earlier that year, Oates explained that she did not expect to return to the show as quickly as she did. She started in the position in January 2013. Oates reports to Whiston, who believed that she was "in tune with the vibrant spirit of modern Emmerdale". He also thought that Oates would be able to maintain that over the coming years. Oates was first credited for the position in episode 6518/6519, first broadcast on 4 April 2013, alongside Blackburn, and was first sole credited in episode 6522, first broadcast on 9 April.