Entertainment

TV executive Samir Shah tipped to be named BBC chairman

Richard Sharp resigned as BBC chairman after failing to declare his connection to a loan made to Boris Johnson (DCMS/PA)
Richard Sharp resigned as BBC chairman after failing to declare his connection to a loan made to Boris Johnson (DCMS/PA) Richard Sharp resigned as BBC chairman after failing to declare his connection to a loan made to Boris Johnson (DCMS/PA)
By Laura Harding, PA Deputy Entertainment Editor

Veteran TV executive Samir Shah is poised to become the new chairman of the BBC, according to reports.

The role was vacated earlier this year by former Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp, who resigned after failing to declare his connection to an £800,000 loan made to Boris Johnson.

He has since been replaced by acting BBC chairwoman Dame Elan Closs Stephens.

BBC chairman post
BBC chairman post Richard Sharp resigned as BBC chairman after failing to declare his connection to a loan made to Boris Johnson (DCMS/PA)

Shah is currently chief executive of award-winning production company Juniper TV, which makes a number of political and current affairs programmes.

He was previously the BBC’s head of television current affairs, and later ran the BBC’s political journalism department at Millbank.

The appointment, which is made by the Government, is expected to be announced as early as Wednesday afternoon, according to the Financial Times.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has been contacted for comment.