- British television executive Samir Shah has been chosen as the government’s preferred candidate to chair the BBC, culture minister Lucy Frazer said on Wednesday.
- Shah, 71, is the chief executive of production company Juniper TV and previously worked at the BBC and London Weekend Television, a franchise in the ITV commercial network.
- “Shah has a wealth of experience to bring to the position of BBC Chair,” Frazer said in a post on X.
- Previous chair Richard Sharp resigned in April after he failed to disclose, he had played a role in securing a $1 million loan for the then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The Conservative government named veteran TV executive Samir Shah as its choice to replace Richard Sharp, who stood down in April, as head of the publicly funded broadcaster. Britain’s government on Wednesday chose a new BBC chairman after the previous incumbent was forced to quit earlier this year over a loan to then-prime minister Boris Johnson.
His appointment will almost certainly be ratified by a parliament committee and comes at a crucial time for the BBC, which is facing increased funding pressures. The corporation is currently looking to make £500 million in savings and recently announced cutbacks to its flagship “Newsnight” programme.
Samir Shah, 71, will be tasked with negotiating with the government an increase to the licence fee, which is where the BBC gets most of its funding. UK media reported recently that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak plans to block a nine percent increase in the annual fee, which is currently £159 ($200) per household.
Samir Shah has worked in television for more than 40 years and has held a number of roles at the BBC, including as head of current affairs. He said in a statement that he was “delighted” to have been named the government’s preferred candidate.
“We welcome the announcement that Samir Shah has been selected as the Government’s preferred candidate to take up the role of BBC chair and look forward to him joining the board once the formal process has been complete,” said a BBC spokesperson.
Richard Sharp, a former executive at investment bank Goldman Sachs, quit after it emerged he acted as a go-between to facilitate an £800,000 ($1 million) loan for Boris Johnson.
(With inputs from agencies)
