BBC director general to depart in April after resignation

The BBC's director general is to leave the broadcaster in April, five months after he announced his resignation amid a storm about the way Panorama edited a Donald Trump speech.

Tim Davie stayed in his post after announcing his resignation in November, but will depart on 2 April.

He will be replaced by an interim DG, Rhodri Talfan Davies, who has been director of nations since 2021 and is currently leading the BBC's work on generative AI.

The search is under way for a permanent director general, one of the most demanding jobs in the British media.

Davie has been responsible for dealing with a series of scandals and crises since becoming the BBC's 17th director general in 2020.

He announced his departure in November after the publication of an internal memo about the controversial Panorama edit and other editorial concerns.

His successor is likely to have to deal with the fallout, with the corporation facing a multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuit filed by the US president. He is objecting to the way Panorama edited together two sections of a speech he gave on 6 January 2021.

The new director general will come in at a crucial time for the BBC in other ways, too.

They will also have to continue negotiations with the government over the future of the licence fee and BBC funding, and over the corporation's next royal charter. The current charter, which sets out the terms and purposes of the BBC's existence, expires in 2027.

BBC chairman Samir Shah said: "There will be a time to celebrate Tim and thank him for his extraordinary contribution to the BBC nearer his departure date.

"Until then, Tim continues to lead the corporation through this critical period as we prepare our response to the government's consultation on its Green Paper on the future of the BBC Charter."

Speaking about Talfan Davies, Shah added: "He is an outstanding leader who brings deep editorial experience and a passionate commitment to the power of public service broadcasting to reach and represent audiences across all parts of the UK."