Former investment banker Richard Sharp has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner for the vacant position of BBC chairman.
The government is in the process of filling the impending vacancy at the head of the corporation ahead of Sir David Clementi's departure from the role in February.
According to The Times, Sharp - the former boss of chancellor Rishi Sunak during his time at Goldman Sachs - would be a "tough friend" of the BBC should he land the job, being a known culture lover but also an advocate of the BBC's need to modernise and compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon in the SVOD era.
Sharp, 64, also has ties to Prime Minister Boris Johnson from his time as London mayor, while he also been advising the government this year - in an unpaid capacity - on how best to support the arts through the coronavirus pandemic.
Other contenders for the role are thought to include former culture secretary Nicky Morgan, former home secretary Amber Rudd and former chancellor George Osborne.
Neil Wilkes
Follow us on Bluesky or on X/Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.
