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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jan/21/bake-off-poacher-tipped-as-frontrunner-for-bbc-top-job
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Bake Off poacher tipped as frontrunner for BBC top job | Bake Off poacher tipped as frontrunner for BBC top job |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Jay Hunt seen as in contention while ITV and Channel 4 bosses thought unlikely to join race | Jay Hunt seen as in contention while ITV and Channel 4 bosses thought unlikely to join race |
| The TV executive who masterminded the poaching of The Great British Bake Off from the BBC has emerged as a frontrunner to be the corporation’s next director general, while the chief executives of ITV and Channel 4 are thought unlikely to apply for the highest-profile role in British broadcasting. | The TV executive who masterminded the poaching of The Great British Bake Off from the BBC has emerged as a frontrunner to be the corporation’s next director general, while the chief executives of ITV and Channel 4 are thought unlikely to apply for the highest-profile role in British broadcasting. |
| Jay Hunt, Apple’s creative director in Europe, has previously held top roles at the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5. At Channel 4 she was responsible for the audacious £75m deal to poach the UK’s biggest show from the BBC, where she had previously been controller of BBC One. | Jay Hunt, Apple’s creative director in Europe, has previously held top roles at the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5. At Channel 4 she was responsible for the audacious £75m deal to poach the UK’s biggest show from the BBC, where she had previously been controller of BBC One. |
| Asked whether Hunt intended to rule herself out of the running, an Apple spokesman declined to comment. | Asked whether Hunt intended to rule herself out of the running, an Apple spokesman declined to comment. |
| The list of candidates considered to have the right credentials for the job is already beginning to shorten. Carolyn McCall, ITV’s chief executive, and Alex Mahon, her counterpart at Channel 4, are thought unlikely to throw their hats in the ring, although neither has categorically ruled themselves out. | The list of candidates considered to have the right credentials for the job is already beginning to shorten. Carolyn McCall, ITV’s chief executive, and Alex Mahon, her counterpart at Channel 4, are thought unlikely to throw their hats in the ring, although neither has categorically ruled themselves out. |
| A Channel 4 source said Mahon remained “fully committed” to the broadcaster, while a spokesman for ITV declined to comment. | A Channel 4 source said Mahon remained “fully committed” to the broadcaster, while a spokesman for ITV declined to comment. |
| Potential internal candidates including Fran Unsworth, the BBC’s director of news and current affairs, and the former Labour minister James Purnell, who now runs BBC radio, do not intend to apply. | Potential internal candidates including Fran Unsworth, the BBC’s director of news and current affairs, and the former Labour minister James Purnell, who now runs BBC radio, do not intend to apply. |
| David Clementi, the chair of the BBC board, will lead the recruitment process to replace Tony Hall, who is stepping down. Clementi will appoint headhunters who could yet convince some possible candidates to rethink their eligibility. | David Clementi, the chair of the BBC board, will lead the recruitment process to replace Tony Hall, who is stepping down. Clementi will appoint headhunters who could yet convince some possible candidates to rethink their eligibility. |
| Staff on the licence fee-funded side of the BBC see Hunt, who was born in Australia but worked at the corporation for two decades, and Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s director of content, as the candidates to beat. | |
| “Jay has a news background including the Six O’Clock News, Newsnight and Panorama and, importantly, she won’t be pushed around,” said one BBC manager. “Charlotte also has a serious background and a lot of support internally.” | “Jay has a news background including the Six O’Clock News, Newsnight and Panorama and, importantly, she won’t be pushed around,” said one BBC manager. “Charlotte also has a serious background and a lot of support internally.” |
| Tim Davie, the head of BBC Studios, the commercial and production arm of the BBC, is also considered to be a leading candidate. Davie, a former Procter & Gamble and Pepsi marketer, previously ran the BBC’s audio and music operation and briefly acted as director general prior to Lord Hall starting. | Tim Davie, the head of BBC Studios, the commercial and production arm of the BBC, is also considered to be a leading candidate. Davie, a former Procter & Gamble and Pepsi marketer, previously ran the BBC’s audio and music operation and briefly acted as director general prior to Lord Hall starting. |
| Staff at the BBC remain bewildered at the announcement of Hall’s impending departure. Many had believed he intended to stay in place until the corporation’s centenary celebrations in 2022. | Staff at the BBC remain bewildered at the announcement of Hall’s impending departure. Many had believed he intended to stay in place until the corporation’s centenary celebrations in 2022. |
| “It feels like the headmaster is leaving,” said one BBC insider. “That’s sort of how Tony was seen: steady and reliable. But some have started to question his long-term strategic vision. The question is: would he have gone at this moment if the general election had delivered a different result? Perhaps not.” | “It feels like the headmaster is leaving,” said one BBC insider. “That’s sort of how Tony was seen: steady and reliable. But some have started to question his long-term strategic vision. The question is: would he have gone at this moment if the general election had delivered a different result? Perhaps not.” |
| Hall’s departure has been positioned as a move to protect the BBC as Clementi, who is popular internally, approaches the end of his tenure in early 2021. The government will appoint the new BBC chair and, given the open hostility of Boris Johnson’s government, the appointee is unlikely to be as sympathetic to the corporation. Had Hall stayed on, that appointee would have controlled the selection of his successor. | Hall’s departure has been positioned as a move to protect the BBC as Clementi, who is popular internally, approaches the end of his tenure in early 2021. The government will appoint the new BBC chair and, given the open hostility of Boris Johnson’s government, the appointee is unlikely to be as sympathetic to the corporation. Had Hall stayed on, that appointee would have controlled the selection of his successor. |
| The BBC is facing a mid-term review of its charter in 2022, which will focus on the cost and long-term future of the licence fee. Johnson has been talking about possibly decriminalising non-payment of the £154.50 annual fee. | The BBC is facing a mid-term review of its charter in 2022, which will focus on the cost and long-term future of the licence fee. Johnson has been talking about possibly decriminalising non-payment of the £154.50 annual fee. |
| There is also the ongoing row over TV licences for the over-75s. Hall is leaving just before the corporation moves to make more than 3 million over-75s start paying the licence fee. | There is also the ongoing row over TV licences for the over-75s. Hall is leaving just before the corporation moves to make more than 3 million over-75s start paying the licence fee. |
| Under Hall, the BBC agreed a deal with David Cameron’s government to take on the £745m annual cost of providing free licences for over-75s as part of its licence fee deal in 2015. The BBC subsequently said it could not cover the cost without the “unprecedented closure” of services including TV channels and radio stations. In August Johnson reignited the row, urging the BBC to “cough up” and pay the licence fee for over-75s. | Under Hall, the BBC agreed a deal with David Cameron’s government to take on the £745m annual cost of providing free licences for over-75s as part of its licence fee deal in 2015. The BBC subsequently said it could not cover the cost without the “unprecedented closure” of services including TV channels and radio stations. In August Johnson reignited the row, urging the BBC to “cough up” and pay the licence fee for over-75s. |
| The final decision on who will replace Hall will be made by the BBC’s board, which is made up of 13 members led by Clementi. It includes Hall, who will not play a role in choosing his successor. | The final decision on who will replace Hall will be made by the BBC’s board, which is made up of 13 members led by Clementi. It includes Hall, who will not play a role in choosing his successor. |