The race for the most powerful role in British media has taken a fresh twist after it emerged that front runner Jay Hunt, the Apple TV boss behind Slow Horses, is no longer in contention to become the next BBC director-general.
A former BBC executive responsible for hit shows including Sherlock, Hunt was seen as the top contender to lead the organisation. The BBC faces an existential battle to retain the licence fee in the face of mass cancellations and win back viewers fleeing for streaming rivals.
As the only person to have led BBC One, Channel 4 and Channel 5, Hunt had the experience and steel to succeed Tim Davie in the high-profile role, industry figures said.
Currently Apple TV’s European creative director, Hunt has a track record of developing hits, including Gogglebox during her period as Channel 4 programmes chief where she snatched Bake Off from the BBC.
However, she is also seen as a divisive figure by some within the BBC.
It has now emerged that Hunt, the former BBC Six O’Clock News editor, will not be on the shortlist of candidates going forward to final interviews.
Hunt had not applied for the job but was sounded out by headhunters asking her to consider the role. After discussions, she decided not to go further in the process, The i Paper understands.
It is also understood that Hunt, whose leadership style has previously been described as “abrasive”, also had detractors within the BBC who raised internal concerns about her suitability for the role.
But a BBC insider said: “You want someone with Jay’s experience in commercial and public service broadcasting and toughness to run the BBC. It doesn’t reflect well on how the process is being run if she isn’t going forward.”
Another insider said: “When Jay was linked to the job [of DG], representations were made to the BBC Board about her management style, that she had been difficult to work with. Those issues were well-known before she was approached for the job.”
Role that brings relentless public scrutiny
Headhunter Egon Zehnder had faced criticism that it was slow to assemble a broad field of suitable candidates. The £550,000-a-year salary meant taking a pay cut for high-fliers in the world of commercial TV for a job that brings relentless public scrutiny.
The front runners for the role now include Charlotte Moore, the corporation’s former chief content officer. She left last year to become CEO of Left Bank Pictures, producer of The Crown, but has long been seen as a potential future director-general.
Alex Mahon, the former Channel 4 chief executive, who left last year to run live festival company Superstruct Entertainment, is also in the mix, with the BBC keen to appoint its first female DG.
Mahon would be walking away from substantial financial incentives to stay with Superstruct, which is owned by global investment firm, KKR, friends say.
(Left to right) Jay Hunt, who is also chair of the BFI, Eva Birthistle, Sharon Horgan and Sarah Greene attend a dinner hosted by British Vogue and Apple TV+ to celebrate leading women’s voices in entertainment and fashion (Photo: Dave Bennett/Getty)The job specification for director-general names “resilience” as a key attribute. Davie said his decision to resign was cumulative, following rows over the BBC’s Gaza reporting and personal scandals involving star talent.
In-tray for new DG
The new DG will inherit sensitive negotiations with the Government over the future of the licence fee. Ministers have suggested advertising and subscription could top up the charge.
Licence fee evasion and cancellations – running at 300,000 last year – is costing the BBC £1bn a year, a Parliamentary report claimed – and the new boss must implement new savings of up to £600m announced by Davie while finding the money to develop new shows to compete with big-budget offerings on Netflix and Disney.
Former Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon is among the contenders to be new BBC boss (Photographer: Adam Lawrence)A BBC spokesperson said: “The process for hiring a new director-general of the BBC is ongoing and, as you would expect, we will not be commenting on the process or any speculation regarding it.”
Hunt was approached for comment.
The final interviews, involving three candidates, are due to take place over the next month. Davie leaves his post at the beginning of April with an interim DG, Rhodri Talfan Davies, taking over until the new boss arrives.
The Australian-born Hunt, who also chairs the British Film Institute, has attracted controversy during a career which began as a researcher on BBC Breakfast and Newsnight.
In a 2011 employment tribunal brought against the BBC by former Countryfile presenter Miriam O’Reilly, Hunt, BBC One boss at the time, was accused of dropping older presenters because she “hated women”.
Hunt denied the claims but O’Reilly won her case for age discrimination and victimisation, in a blow to the executive’s reputation.
Some BBC figures said losing Hunt from the race, would be a huge mistake.
One said: “She learnt from the age discrimination case. Jay took a chance on Slow Horses for Apple when the BBC passed on it. Isn’t that what the BBC needs?”
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