After Tim Davie’s resignation announcement solely 24 hours in the past, speak is popping to who may exchange him and tackle the highest-profile position in British broadcasting.
The BBC’s director-general place is a vital position, serving successfully as each the company’s chief govt and its editor-in-chief throughout tv, radio and on-line.
Davie, who has labored for the BBC for 20 years and been in cost for the previous 5, is just not stepping down instantly.
He mentioned in his departure observe to workers that he’s “working through exact timings with the board to allow for an orderly transition to a successor over the coming months”.
It’s nonetheless early days, however listed here are a number of the names being mentioned as contenders for the position.
Charlotte Moore
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Charlotte Moore. Pic: BBC/Man Levy 2021
Chief govt of Left Financial institution Photos, a British impartial TV and movie manufacturing firm owned by Sony, Charlotte Moore was chief content material officer on the BBC for 5 years earlier than leaving in the summertime.
She was amongst these shortlisted when Davie received the job in 2020 and is named the mastermind behind the commissioning of The Nice British Bake Off.
In March 2023, she was awarded the Royal Tv Society Judges Award in recognition of her management “through one of the most momentous years in [the BBC’s] history and having done so with an exceptional combination of steadfast level-headedness, confidence and creative flair”.
“The BBC is an extraordinary place to work,” she mentioned in an announcement when her transfer to Left Financial institution was introduced.
“There’s nowhere quite like it that backs risk-taking, innovation and homegrown creativity with such commitment.”
James Harding
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James Harding
Establishing the independence of the BBC is vital “if we want to build confidence in shared facts and respect for the truth”, he mentioned.
Jay Hunt
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Jay Hunt. Pic: Home of Commons/ PA Archive 2025
Jay Hunt is Apple TV+’s artistic director for Europe and was appointed chair of the British Movie Institute in 2024.
She has beforehand labored as chief artistic officer for Channel 4, director of programmes at Channel 5 and controller of BBC One.
Channel 4 was named Channel of the Yr on the Edinburgh Worldwide Tv Competition in 2014 and 2016 below her management, and she or he was identified for getting the rights to The Nice British Bake Off from the BBC.
At Apple, she has overseen commissioning for award-winning reveals resembling Unhealthy Sisters and Gradual Horses.
Alex Mahon
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Alex Mahon. Pic: Home of Commons/ PA Archive 2022
After virtually eight years as chief govt of Channel 4 – the primary girl within the broadcaster’s historical past to take the helm – Alex Mahon left the position earlier this 12 months to steer stay leisure group Superstruct Leisure.
Superstruct owns and operates greater than 80 music festivals throughout 10 nations in Europe and Australia, together with Boardmasters in Cornwall and Mighty Hoopla.
Daybreak Airey, Channel 4 interim chair, described her as a “great figure in British television” and mentioned she had been “one of the most impactful CEOs” because the founding of Channel 4 in 1982.
She was the recipient of Selection’s 2020 Worldwide Achievement in Tv Award and has been honoured with an Worldwide Royal Industrial Fellowship.
Dame Carolyn McCall
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Dame Carolyn McCall. Pic: Richard Kendal/RTS 2023
Dame Carolyn McCall has led ITV since she joined the channel in 2018, having served as chief govt of easyJet for seven years and chief govt of the Guardian Media Group for 4 years.
She was made a dame in 2016 for companies to the aviation trade and an OBE earlier than that in 2008 for companies to girls in enterprise.
She has led ITV plc’s “significant transformation in the competitive digital media landscape since joining in 2018, successfully evolving it from a linear organisation to a strong linear and digital media, entertainment, and global production business”, her biography for the broadcaster states.
Sir Trevor Phillips
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Sir Trevor Phillips
A businessman and journalist, Phillips has gained Royal Tv Society journalism awards 3 times. He’s additionally a Instances columnist and was shortlisted for Remark Author of the Yr in 2020.
Phillips, who was knighted in 2022 for companies to equality and human rights, was beforehand head of present affairs for London Weekend TV (the place he labored alongside BBC chair Samir Shah), chair of the London Meeting, chair of the Fee for Racial Equality, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Fee and president of the John Lewis Partnership Council.
His identify has been talked about as a potential contender on political web site Guido Fawkes, in addition to by Rod Liddle on Instances Radio and journalist Stephen Pollard in a column for The Spectator, headlined: “Is this the man who can save the BBC?”
Senior BBC workers
Might the BBC look internally?
There may be additionally Kate Phillips, who changed Moore as chief content material officer, the senior govt answerable for all of the BBC’s community TV and radio output, in the summertime.
She has solely been within the position for a couple of months, having beforehand held the place of director of unscripted content material. In the course of the pandemic, she was performing controller of BBC One.
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BBC boss ‘proper to resign’
As Davie mentioned, he’s trying to cross on the baton within the coming months.
His successor shall be appointed by the BBC Board, which is answerable for making certain the broadcaster delivers its mission and public functions.
