Elan Closs Stephens, who has assumed charge as acting BBC chair following the resignation of Richard Sharp, has spoken out about her predecessor and the process of appointing her successor.
Sharp resigned in April over his role in a 2020 loan to then U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
On Wednesday, Closs Stephens’ first day as acting BBC chair, a Q&a with BBC presenter Tina Daheley was shared with the corporation’s staff.
When asked what she would say to people who feel the BBC’s reputation has been damaged by what happened with Richard Sharp, Closs Stephens said: “There’s no doubt that we’ve gone through a difficult period of time and I’m sure that staff and the board and Richard himself were unnerved by what happened over the past few months. All of us feel a debt of gratitude to Richard for the way in which...
Sharp resigned in April over his role in a 2020 loan to then U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
On Wednesday, Closs Stephens’ first day as acting BBC chair, a Q&a with BBC presenter Tina Daheley was shared with the corporation’s staff.
When asked what she would say to people who feel the BBC’s reputation has been damaged by what happened with Richard Sharp, Closs Stephens said: “There’s no doubt that we’ve gone through a difficult period of time and I’m sure that staff and the board and Richard himself were unnerved by what happened over the past few months. All of us feel a debt of gratitude to Richard for the way in which...
- 6/28/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The BBC’s Acting Chair Elan Closs Stephens has said staff and the board at the UK network were “unnerved” by events of the past few months.
Cross’ predecessor, Richard Sharp, stood down after a report found he had breached appointment rules by failing to properly declare his role in securing former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson access to an £800,000 ($1M) loan.
A BBC probe cleared Sharp of any conflict of interest issues but noted he should have made “relevant declarations at the outset of his tenure” that he had attempted to introduce a Canadian businessman, Sam Blyth, to the UK’s Cabinet Secretary. Blyth went on help Johnson secure the loan.
“There’s no doubt that we’ve gone through a difficult period of time and I’m sure that staff and the Board and Richard himself were unnerved by what happened over the past few months,” said Closs...
Cross’ predecessor, Richard Sharp, stood down after a report found he had breached appointment rules by failing to properly declare his role in securing former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson access to an £800,000 ($1M) loan.
A BBC probe cleared Sharp of any conflict of interest issues but noted he should have made “relevant declarations at the outset of his tenure” that he had attempted to introduce a Canadian businessman, Sam Blyth, to the UK’s Cabinet Secretary. Blyth went on help Johnson secure the loan.
“There’s no doubt that we’ve gone through a difficult period of time and I’m sure that staff and the Board and Richard himself were unnerved by what happened over the past few months,” said Closs...
- 6/28/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC’s highest-paid presenter Gary Lineker was suspended and swiftly reinstated in March during an impartiality meltdown that rocked the British broadcaster.
Deadline has obtained documents under a Freedom of Information Act request that provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how Director General Tim Davie responded to the crisis.
Diary extracts and emails reveal that Davie was in contact with a senior government official on the day of Lineker’s suspension. The papers also reveal the frantic weekend meetings that took place to reinstate Lineker after his suspension wreaked havoc on the BBC’s Premier League coverage.
Scroll on for the timeline, which brings together the documents obtained by Deadline, as well as details from sources, and information already in the public domain.
March 7, Tuesday
At 2Pm, Tim Davie emerged from a lunch with Rebekah Brooks, the woman who runs Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in the UK, when Gary...
Deadline has obtained documents under a Freedom of Information Act request that provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how Director General Tim Davie responded to the crisis.
Diary extracts and emails reveal that Davie was in contact with a senior government official on the day of Lineker’s suspension. The papers also reveal the frantic weekend meetings that took place to reinstate Lineker after his suspension wreaked havoc on the BBC’s Premier League coverage.
Scroll on for the timeline, which brings together the documents obtained by Deadline, as well as details from sources, and information already in the public domain.
March 7, Tuesday
At 2Pm, Tim Davie emerged from a lunch with Rebekah Brooks, the woman who runs Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in the UK, when Gary...
- 6/27/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: BBC Director General Tim Davie was in contact with a senior government official on the day he suspended Gary Lineker, raising questions about whether he was pressured to punish the presenter for breaking impartiality rules.
Documents obtained by Deadline reveal that Davie was in dialogue with Polly Payne, Director General of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms), on March 10. Emails between the BBC and the Dcms show that Payne and Davie’s conversations were unscheduled.
The papers cast fresh light on the biggest crisis of Davie’s tenure after he suspended Match of the Day host Lineker for tweeting that government asylum policy had echoes of Nazi Germany. Lineker was swiftly reinstated three days later following a weekend of chaos, in which his colleagues effectively went on strike and BBC sports coverage fell off air.
The revelation that Davie spoke to the Dcms has raised eyebrows among BBC staff,...
Documents obtained by Deadline reveal that Davie was in dialogue with Polly Payne, Director General of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms), on March 10. Emails between the BBC and the Dcms show that Payne and Davie’s conversations were unscheduled.
The papers cast fresh light on the biggest crisis of Davie’s tenure after he suspended Match of the Day host Lineker for tweeting that government asylum policy had echoes of Nazi Germany. Lineker was swiftly reinstated three days later following a weekend of chaos, in which his colleagues effectively went on strike and BBC sports coverage fell off air.
The revelation that Davie spoke to the Dcms has raised eyebrows among BBC staff,...
- 6/27/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC journalists have overwhelmingly expressed no confidence in their senior leadership team.
Members of the National Union of Journalists (Nuj) who work at the corporation voted 93% ‘no confidence’ at a meeting last month, according to the union, which unveiled the results this afternoon.
These journalists work in local news across TV, online and radio and have been hit by budget cuts recently, with a dispute ongoing between the union and the BBC over changes to jobs and local radio programs, some of which are merging.
Around 1,000 BBC local journalists staged a strike in March – their biggest in 13 years – and May, and they are due to strike again on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 June. They also threatened to strike during the coverage of King Charles III’s Coronation and Eurovision, although this never took place.
“Members have shared their disappointment over the treatment of colleagues who have had to re-apply for their jobs,...
Members of the National Union of Journalists (Nuj) who work at the corporation voted 93% ‘no confidence’ at a meeting last month, according to the union, which unveiled the results this afternoon.
These journalists work in local news across TV, online and radio and have been hit by budget cuts recently, with a dispute ongoing between the union and the BBC over changes to jobs and local radio programs, some of which are merging.
Around 1,000 BBC local journalists staged a strike in March – their biggest in 13 years – and May, and they are due to strike again on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 June. They also threatened to strike during the coverage of King Charles III’s Coronation and Eurovision, although this never took place.
“Members have shared their disappointment over the treatment of colleagues who have had to re-apply for their jobs,...
- 6/2/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Welsh non-executive board member to replace Richard Sharp later this month
The UK government has appointed Elan Closs Stephens as acting chair of the BBC from 27 June.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer made the appointment following a consultation with the BBC board. Elan will remain in post while the government undertakes the process to appoint a permanent chair, which is expected to take several months.
Elan has been a member of the BBC’s governing body since 2010 and a non-executive director on the board since July 2017, during which time she has been the chair of the Wales Committee and chair of...
The UK government has appointed Elan Closs Stephens as acting chair of the BBC from 27 June.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer made the appointment following a consultation with the BBC board. Elan will remain in post while the government undertakes the process to appoint a permanent chair, which is expected to take several months.
Elan has been a member of the BBC’s governing body since 2010 and a non-executive director on the board since July 2017, during which time she has been the chair of the Wales Committee and chair of...
- 6/2/2023
- by Ellie Kahn Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
Elan Closs Stephens has been named the acting chair of the BBC, replacing Richard Sharp who recently unveiled his resignation, effective June 27, following a report that said he had breached appointment rules by not fully disclosing his role in a loan given to former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
U.K. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer unveiled the appointment of the interim chair Friday following a consultation with the BBC board.
Under the BBC’s charter, an acting chair must be an existing non-executive director on the BBC board. “Dame Elan has been a non-executive director on the BBC board since July 2017, and prior to that was the trustee for Wales on the BBC Trust (2010-2017),” the BBC said Friday. “Between 2019 and 2022, she was chair of the Commercial Holdings Board for BBC Studios.”
Stephens called her appointment “a huge honor,” saying: “As a board, we will champion the license fee payer across all of the U.
U.K. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer unveiled the appointment of the interim chair Friday following a consultation with the BBC board.
Under the BBC’s charter, an acting chair must be an existing non-executive director on the BBC board. “Dame Elan has been a non-executive director on the BBC board since July 2017, and prior to that was the trustee for Wales on the BBC Trust (2010-2017),” the BBC said Friday. “Between 2019 and 2022, she was chair of the Commercial Holdings Board for BBC Studios.”
Stephens called her appointment “a huge honor,” saying: “As a board, we will champion the license fee payer across all of the U.
- 6/2/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The BBC has appointed an acting chair following the ousting of Richard Sharp in April.
Elan Closs Stephens has been appointed in the role by the U.K.’s culture secretary Lucy Frazer She will take over from Sharp once he steps down on June 27.
Closs Stephens has been a non-executive director of the board since 2017. Before that she was the BBC Trust’s trustee for Wales and has also been chair of the commercial holdings board for BBC Studios, chair of Welsh broadcaster SC4 and is currently Aberystwyth University’s Pro-Chancellor and Professor Emerita in Communications and Creative Industries.
She will remain acting chair of the BBC until a new, permanent chair is found following a government search and application process.
“It’s a huge honor to be appointed by the secretary of state as acting chair and I am grateful to my fellow board members for putting their trust in me,...
Elan Closs Stephens has been appointed in the role by the U.K.’s culture secretary Lucy Frazer She will take over from Sharp once he steps down on June 27.
Closs Stephens has been a non-executive director of the board since 2017. Before that she was the BBC Trust’s trustee for Wales and has also been chair of the commercial holdings board for BBC Studios, chair of Welsh broadcaster SC4 and is currently Aberystwyth University’s Pro-Chancellor and Professor Emerita in Communications and Creative Industries.
She will remain acting chair of the BBC until a new, permanent chair is found following a government search and application process.
“It’s a huge honor to be appointed by the secretary of state as acting chair and I am grateful to my fellow board members for putting their trust in me,...
- 6/2/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The BBC has appointed an acting replacement for departing Chairman Richard Sharp, with Dame Elan Closs Stephens set to take over for up to 12 months.
Stephens, who currently sits as the Welsh member on the BBC Board, will act as Chair for a year or when a permanent appointee is selected by the government, whichever comes sooner.
She has spent her career working in broadcasting, the creative industries and academia and chaired the BBC’s commercial subsidiary from 2019 to 2022. She also has past experience as chair of BBC-backed Welsh-language broadcaster S4C.
Stephens replaces Sharp following the controversy over his involvement with a loan guarantee for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The scandal generated headlines for months and an excoriating report from the Public Appointments Committee in April, which found he breached appointment rules, led to his resignation. Sharp has stayed on since temporarily but always said he would leave in June.
Stephens, who currently sits as the Welsh member on the BBC Board, will act as Chair for a year or when a permanent appointee is selected by the government, whichever comes sooner.
She has spent her career working in broadcasting, the creative industries and academia and chaired the BBC’s commercial subsidiary from 2019 to 2022. She also has past experience as chair of BBC-backed Welsh-language broadcaster S4C.
Stephens replaces Sharp following the controversy over his involvement with a loan guarantee for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The scandal generated headlines for months and an excoriating report from the Public Appointments Committee in April, which found he breached appointment rules, led to his resignation. Sharp has stayed on since temporarily but always said he would leave in June.
- 6/2/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The Prime Minister “ought to” give up their involvement with the hiring of the BBC Chairman in the future following the Richard Sharp scandal, according to former Director General Tony Hall.
Hall urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “say something interesting” about the government’s involvement with the process, which, in Sharp’s case, led to a chain of events surrounding the Boris Johnson loan scandal that has forced the former Goldman Sachs banker and Conservative Party donor to resign.
Hall, who was BBC Dg between 2013 and 2020, told the Voice of the Listener & Viewer (Vlv) Conference that the Prime Minister of the day “ought to” give up their involvement in the Chair appointment, which is currently decided by a government committee.
“When you say the Prime Minister appoints the Chairman people tend to respond with a wry grin and question whether that is really independent,” he said.
Hall forecasted that...
Hall urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “say something interesting” about the government’s involvement with the process, which, in Sharp’s case, led to a chain of events surrounding the Boris Johnson loan scandal that has forced the former Goldman Sachs banker and Conservative Party donor to resign.
Hall, who was BBC Dg between 2013 and 2020, told the Voice of the Listener & Viewer (Vlv) Conference that the Prime Minister of the day “ought to” give up their involvement in the Chair appointment, which is currently decided by a government committee.
“When you say the Prime Minister appoints the Chairman people tend to respond with a wry grin and question whether that is really independent,” he said.
Hall forecasted that...
- 5/11/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC has unveiled its findings following a review into the conduct of recently-ousted chair Richard Sharp. The corporation said Sharp’s conduct did not give rise to any conflicts of interest.
Sharp resigned two weeks ago after it was revealed he had been involved in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s attempt to secure a loan in 2020 just weeks before Johnson recommended him for the role of BBC chair. Sharp was then formally appointed in Jan. 2021.
Sharp, a banker and former chair of the Royal Academy of Arts, did not disclose the episode during his application for the role, an omission that constituted a “significant error of judgement” a parliamentary inquiry said. An official report by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport concluded that Sharp had breached the rules for public appointments, prompting him to step down.
The BBC also conducted its own review, headed by three non-executive...
Sharp resigned two weeks ago after it was revealed he had been involved in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s attempt to secure a loan in 2020 just weeks before Johnson recommended him for the role of BBC chair. Sharp was then formally appointed in Jan. 2021.
Sharp, a banker and former chair of the Royal Academy of Arts, did not disclose the episode during his application for the role, an omission that constituted a “significant error of judgement” a parliamentary inquiry said. An official report by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport concluded that Sharp had breached the rules for public appointments, prompting him to step down.
The BBC also conducted its own review, headed by three non-executive...
- 5/11/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The BBC has cleared the resigning Richard Sharp of any potential conflict of interest issues arising during his time as Chairman but has said he should have made “relevant declarations at the outset of his tenure.”
Sharp was found to have broken the BBC Board’s Code of Practice due to this failure to declare that he had attempted to introduce a Canadian businessman, Sam Blyth, to the UK’s Cabinet Secretary, and the businessman went on to guarantee an £800,000 ($1B) loan to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Sharp is resigning from his post due to a separate damning report from the UK’s Public Appointments Committee, which found he breached appointment rules.
Today’s BBC Nominations Committee report didn’t examine Sharp’s controversial hire but only potential conflict of interest issues arising since he started in early 2021. The review was conducted by three non-executive members of the Board’s Nominations Committee,...
Sharp was found to have broken the BBC Board’s Code of Practice due to this failure to declare that he had attempted to introduce a Canadian businessman, Sam Blyth, to the UK’s Cabinet Secretary, and the businessman went on to guarantee an £800,000 ($1B) loan to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Sharp is resigning from his post due to a separate damning report from the UK’s Public Appointments Committee, which found he breached appointment rules.
Today’s BBC Nominations Committee report didn’t examine Sharp’s controversial hire but only potential conflict of interest issues arising since he started in early 2021. The review was conducted by three non-executive members of the Board’s Nominations Committee,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Representatives for a leading Jewish group in the UK have requested an urgent meeting with the editor of The Guardian newspaper over a cartoon the group says contained antisemitic tropes.
The Guardian has apologized for its publication of a cartoon depicting the former BBC chairman Richard Sharp – who is Jewish – who quit on Friday, following a report criticizing his role in helping secure a loan for former prime minister Boris Johnson.
The Times of London reports that the Board of Deputies of British Jews has written to The Guardian to voice its concerns, saying:
“We have written to The Guardian requesting an urgent meeting with the editor, Katharine Viner, in regard to yesterday’s shocking cartoon . . . which contained antisemitic tropes. This is far from the first time the paper has crossed the line in terms of highly questionable content connected to the Jewish community.”
The Guardian has removed from its...
The Guardian has apologized for its publication of a cartoon depicting the former BBC chairman Richard Sharp – who is Jewish – who quit on Friday, following a report criticizing his role in helping secure a loan for former prime minister Boris Johnson.
The Times of London reports that the Board of Deputies of British Jews has written to The Guardian to voice its concerns, saying:
“We have written to The Guardian requesting an urgent meeting with the editor, Katharine Viner, in regard to yesterday’s shocking cartoon . . . which contained antisemitic tropes. This is far from the first time the paper has crossed the line in terms of highly questionable content connected to the Jewish community.”
The Guardian has removed from its...
- 5/1/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
The Guardian has deleted and apologized for a Martin Rowson cartoon of outgoing BBC Chairman Richard Sharp after the image was accused of evoking anti-Semitic tropes.
The British broadsheet newspaper removed the cartoon from its website on Saturday following a social media backlash, in which figures from the Jewish community voiced their shock.
Sharp resigned as the BBC’s Chairman on Friday after he failed to properly declare his role in facilitating an £800,000 ($1M) loan guarantee for former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Rowson’s illustration pictured a grinning caricature of Sharp, who is Jewish. He has an enlarged nose and is carrying a Goldman Sachs office box, apparently stuffed with gold and a squid.
The Goldman Sachs box is a reference to Sharp’s former employer, which was famously described by Rolling Stone as “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel...
The British broadsheet newspaper removed the cartoon from its website on Saturday following a social media backlash, in which figures from the Jewish community voiced their shock.
Sharp resigned as the BBC’s Chairman on Friday after he failed to properly declare his role in facilitating an £800,000 ($1M) loan guarantee for former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Rowson’s illustration pictured a grinning caricature of Sharp, who is Jewish. He has an enlarged nose and is carrying a Goldman Sachs office box, apparently stuffed with gold and a squid.
The Goldman Sachs box is a reference to Sharp’s former employer, which was famously described by Rolling Stone as “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel...
- 4/29/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Richard Sharp’s resignation as BBC Chairman over a Boris Johnson loan scandal has stoked division at the British broadcaster as thoughts turn to finding his successor.
The former Goldman Sachs banker will step down at the end of June after he failed to properly declare his role in facilitating Johnson’s £800,000 ($1M) loan guarantee as ministers went about installing him on the BBC board.
Barrister Adam Heppinstall concluded Sharp’s actions gave rise to a “perceived conflict of interest,” though he stopped short of concluding that the BBC Chairman sort to curry favor by involving himself in the Prime Minister’s private financial affairs.
Sharp has dug in for months since the story was first reported by The Sunday Times and maintained today that his failure to be fully transparent about Johnson’s loan was “inadvertent and not material.”
BBC employees were angry about The Sunday Times story when it broke in January,...
The former Goldman Sachs banker will step down at the end of June after he failed to properly declare his role in facilitating Johnson’s £800,000 ($1M) loan guarantee as ministers went about installing him on the BBC board.
Barrister Adam Heppinstall concluded Sharp’s actions gave rise to a “perceived conflict of interest,” though he stopped short of concluding that the BBC Chairman sort to curry favor by involving himself in the Prime Minister’s private financial affairs.
Sharp has dug in for months since the story was first reported by The Sunday Times and maintained today that his failure to be fully transparent about Johnson’s loan was “inadvertent and not material.”
BBC employees were angry about The Sunday Times story when it broke in January,...
- 4/28/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC chairman Richard Sharp resigned on Friday following an investigation by Barrister Adam Heppinstall Kc which found that he breached appointment rules by failing to declare his role in facilitating a £800,000 ($1 million) loan guarantee to then-prime minister Boris Johnson.
Sharp noted that he will stay on as chair until the end of June while a search for a successor is underway in the “interests of the corporation’s stability and continuity.”
“Mr. Heppinstall’s view is that while I did breach the governance code for public appointments, he states very clearly that a breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment,” Sharp said in a statement. “Indeed, I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The secretary of state has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view. Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC.
Sharp noted that he will stay on as chair until the end of June while a search for a successor is underway in the “interests of the corporation’s stability and continuity.”
“Mr. Heppinstall’s view is that while I did breach the governance code for public appointments, he states very clearly that a breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment,” Sharp said in a statement. “Indeed, I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The secretary of state has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view. Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC.
- 4/28/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
The government has been urged by today’s report to “review current conflict of interest guidance for candidates to ensure it is fit for purpose” in the wake of BBC Chair Richard Sharp’s resignation.
Adam Heppinstall Kc’s report into Sharp’s now-fateful involvement with Boris Johnson’s £800,000 ($1M) loan also found:
Sharp failed to disclose two “potential perceived conflicts of interest” to his BBC Chair selection panel: that he had informed then-Prime Minister Johnson that he wanted to be Chair and that he had met the Cabinet Secretary to help facilitate Johnson’s meeting with Sam Blyth, the man offering to be guarantor for his loan. Blyth and Johnson are distant cousins. Both the above non-disclosures breached the Governance Code because Sharp’s selection panel was unaware of them. Sharp, who has resigned today, believed he breached the code over the latter but not the former. During the...
Adam Heppinstall Kc’s report into Sharp’s now-fateful involvement with Boris Johnson’s £800,000 ($1M) loan also found:
Sharp failed to disclose two “potential perceived conflicts of interest” to his BBC Chair selection panel: that he had informed then-Prime Minister Johnson that he wanted to be Chair and that he had met the Cabinet Secretary to help facilitate Johnson’s meeting with Sam Blyth, the man offering to be guarantor for his loan. Blyth and Johnson are distant cousins. Both the above non-disclosures breached the Governance Code because Sharp’s selection panel was unaware of them. Sharp, who has resigned today, believed he breached the code over the latter but not the former. During the...
- 4/28/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Independent report concludes Sharp breached public appointment governance rules.
BBC chair Richard Sharp has resigned after an independent report into his appointment that found he “failed to disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest”.
The Adam Heppinstall Kc-led investigation concluded that Sharp had mishandled communications around his involvement in securing an £800,000 loan to former prime minister Boris Johnson.
The report said that “the [interview] panel may have concluded that no conflict arose, but [Sharp] did not put them in a position where they were able to form that judgement. It is that disabling of a key part of the system which constitutes...
BBC chair Richard Sharp has resigned after an independent report into his appointment that found he “failed to disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest”.
The Adam Heppinstall Kc-led investigation concluded that Sharp had mishandled communications around his involvement in securing an £800,000 loan to former prime minister Boris Johnson.
The report said that “the [interview] panel may have concluded that no conflict arose, but [Sharp] did not put them in a position where they were able to form that judgement. It is that disabling of a key part of the system which constitutes...
- 4/28/2023
- by John Elmes Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
The BBC’s under-fire chairman Richard Sharp has resigned following a report that said he breached appointment rules by not fully discovering his role in a loan given to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Sharp had faced months of pressure to quit and created a serious headache for the broadcaster after it emerged that, prior to his appointment, he had helped Johnson — who was involved in his selection process — access to a loan facility reportedly worth around $1 million. This story would gather steam following the BBC’s handling of the impartiality row over Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, when major question marks over the government influence over the BBC were raised, particularly surrounding Sharp, a former banker who had worked with current prime minister Rishi Sunak at Goldman Sachs and previously donated more than £400,000 ($486,000) to the Conservative Party.
The chairman’s resignation comes a month after the former...
Sharp had faced months of pressure to quit and created a serious headache for the broadcaster after it emerged that, prior to his appointment, he had helped Johnson — who was involved in his selection process — access to a loan facility reportedly worth around $1 million. This story would gather steam following the BBC’s handling of the impartiality row over Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, when major question marks over the government influence over the BBC were raised, particularly surrounding Sharp, a former banker who had worked with current prime minister Rishi Sunak at Goldman Sachs and previously donated more than £400,000 ($486,000) to the Conservative Party.
The chairman’s resignation comes a month after the former...
- 4/28/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BBC chairman Richard Sharp has resigned over his role in a 2020 loan to then U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Sharp has been under pressure to step down ever since a damning report in the U.K.’s Sunday Times in January alleged that Johnson recommended Sharp as chairman just weeks after the latter was involved in Johnson’s attempt to arrange a guarantee on a loan of up to £800,000 [$990,000].
A parliamentary inquiry into the matter in February — by the same Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms) committee that interviewed Sharp for the job — found that he had made “significant errors of judgement” when he didn’t declare his role in the facilitation of a loan to Johnson.
Sharp resigned after a report that set out the findings of an inquiry by Adam Heppinstall into the 2020/21 competition to appoint a new chair of the BBC board, was published on Friday.
Sharp has been under pressure to step down ever since a damning report in the U.K.’s Sunday Times in January alleged that Johnson recommended Sharp as chairman just weeks after the latter was involved in Johnson’s attempt to arrange a guarantee on a loan of up to £800,000 [$990,000].
A parliamentary inquiry into the matter in February — by the same Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms) committee that interviewed Sharp for the job — found that he had made “significant errors of judgement” when he didn’t declare his role in the facilitation of a loan to Johnson.
Sharp resigned after a report that set out the findings of an inquiry by Adam Heppinstall into the 2020/21 competition to appoint a new chair of the BBC board, was published on Friday.
- 4/28/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran and Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
BBC Chair Richard Sharp has resigned after a report found he breached appointment rules by failing to declare his role in the Boris Johnson loan scandal.
In a statement given prior to the release of the long-awaited report, Sharp said the conclusion by Adam Heppinstall Kc had found that he had “breached the code for public appointments” and he is resigning “to prioritise the interests of the BBC.”
He defended himself, however, adding that the breach was “inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate,” but accepted that “this may well be a distraction from the Corporation’s good work were I to remain in post until the end of my [four-year] term.” He has submitted his resignation to UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, with the report having not actually recommended that he resign.
Sharp will remain in post until the end of June while the process to appoint his successor takes place,...
In a statement given prior to the release of the long-awaited report, Sharp said the conclusion by Adam Heppinstall Kc had found that he had “breached the code for public appointments” and he is resigning “to prioritise the interests of the BBC.”
He defended himself, however, adding that the breach was “inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate,” but accepted that “this may well be a distraction from the Corporation’s good work were I to remain in post until the end of my [four-year] term.” He has submitted his resignation to UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, with the report having not actually recommended that he resign.
Sharp will remain in post until the end of June while the process to appoint his successor takes place,...
- 4/28/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC TV boss Charlotte Moore has said she will not “censor” respected writers who want to make shows about controversial subjects such as Jimmy Savile and the Grenfell disaster. In a wide-ranging briefing with the media press, Moore also addressed the Gary Lineker and Richard Sharp controversies, future of Top Gear, the streamers and the closure of Cbbc and BBC Four on linear.
The BBC’s upcoming TV dramas on serial abuser Jimmy Savile and the Grenfell fire – which killed 72 people in 2017 – have come in for much criticism and the latter has spawned a petition to have it canceled that has so far been signed by nearly 60,000 people.
Responding to a question from Deadline, Moore said the BBC “has a strong track record” in factual drama about controversial subjects and stressed that “it would not be right for me to censor ideas from very respected writers who have written about similar subjects in the past.
The BBC’s upcoming TV dramas on serial abuser Jimmy Savile and the Grenfell fire – which killed 72 people in 2017 – have come in for much criticism and the latter has spawned a petition to have it canceled that has so far been signed by nearly 60,000 people.
Responding to a question from Deadline, Moore said the BBC “has a strong track record” in factual drama about controversial subjects and stressed that “it would not be right for me to censor ideas from very respected writers who have written about similar subjects in the past.
- 4/20/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The UK’s Film & TV Production Restart Scheme (Prs) will end up costing the government just £20M ($25M) while generating more than £2.25B ($2.8B) for the nation’s economy, according to an independent report analyzing its success.
The final figures published in the report said the £500M Prs will end up paying out less than £50M to producers – under one-tenth of its initial value – who required insurance cover for Covid-19-related losses. The scheme, which was administered by the BFI and private insurers, collected £35.6M via premiums. This means a government deficit of £19.6M when administration costs are taken into account, the report said.
At time of publication, the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport hadn’t responded to our request for comment over how much of the £50M has been paid to producers. In February, a Deadline investigation revealed the Prs had paid out just over half...
The final figures published in the report said the £500M Prs will end up paying out less than £50M to producers – under one-tenth of its initial value – who required insurance cover for Covid-19-related losses. The scheme, which was administered by the BFI and private insurers, collected £35.6M via premiums. This means a government deficit of £19.6M when administration costs are taken into account, the report said.
At time of publication, the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport hadn’t responded to our request for comment over how much of the £50M has been paid to producers. In February, a Deadline investigation revealed the Prs had paid out just over half...
- 4/13/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The BBC raised concerns about the way the government was going about appointing its new Chairman before the controversial hire of Richard Sharp.
Sir David Clementi, the BBC’s former Chairman, wrote to the government in October 2020 to complain about the recruitment process for his successor.
The UK government is responsible for appointing the BBC’s Chairman, while ministers also play a role in hiring four other board members.
The procedure has become increasingly divisive, with concerns about ministers installing political candidates, leaving the BBC open to the accusation that its non-executive directors are too close to the government.
Clementi’s letter to Oliver Dowden, the former Culture Secretary, could fuel suspicions that the government played politics with the BBC’s board amid a wider agenda against the broadcaster.
In the letter, disclosed by the BBC under a Freedom of Information request, Clementi raised questions about the Chairman recruitment...
Sir David Clementi, the BBC’s former Chairman, wrote to the government in October 2020 to complain about the recruitment process for his successor.
The UK government is responsible for appointing the BBC’s Chairman, while ministers also play a role in hiring four other board members.
The procedure has become increasingly divisive, with concerns about ministers installing political candidates, leaving the BBC open to the accusation that its non-executive directors are too close to the government.
Clementi’s letter to Oliver Dowden, the former Culture Secretary, could fuel suspicions that the government played politics with the BBC’s board amid a wider agenda against the broadcaster.
In the letter, disclosed by the BBC under a Freedom of Information request, Clementi raised questions about the Chairman recruitment...
- 3/24/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Senior BBC management has been accused of fostering a “toxic culture” from the “Dg-down” in a letter criticizing the closure of its 99-year-old choir.
The co-directors of BBC Singers, the BBC choir that’s facing the axe, made the claim in a letter to BBC Chair Richard Sharp.
The decision to close the near-century-old choir has been met with major opposition and is one of several crises currently engulfing the BBC. The BBC says it is in consultation with the Musician’s Union over the plan as an online petition criticizing it tops 100,000 signatures and another signed by 700 composers was sent to BBC Director General Tim Davie.
Among the damning claims levelled by BBC Singers Acting Co-Directors Jonathan Manners and Rob Johnston is that a “recurring narrative of toxic culture now exists at the BBC, reflected in the working environment from the Director General downwards.”
They also claimed: “A culture...
The co-directors of BBC Singers, the BBC choir that’s facing the axe, made the claim in a letter to BBC Chair Richard Sharp.
The decision to close the near-century-old choir has been met with major opposition and is one of several crises currently engulfing the BBC. The BBC says it is in consultation with the Musician’s Union over the plan as an online petition criticizing it tops 100,000 signatures and another signed by 700 composers was sent to BBC Director General Tim Davie.
Among the damning claims levelled by BBC Singers Acting Co-Directors Jonathan Manners and Rob Johnston is that a “recurring narrative of toxic culture now exists at the BBC, reflected in the working environment from the Director General downwards.”
They also claimed: “A culture...
- 3/14/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
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