LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — The BBC announced that Anthony Hall, Lord of Birkenhead CBE, plans to step down from his post as Director-General of the British broadcaster.
“Tony Hall is an inspirational creative leader, within the UK and around the globe, and the BBC has been lucky to have him as our Director-General for the last seven years. Tony has led the BBC with integrity and a passion for our values that is obvious to everyone who meets him. His reforms have shaped the BBC for the future and he will leave the BBC in the summer with our gratitude and our very best wishes,” BBC Chairman Sir David Clementi said in a statement announcing Hall’s planned exit.
Clementi added that the BBC would launch a search to find a replacement for Hall and will make an announcement about qualifications for a candidate within the next few weeks.
In an email to BBC staff, Hall said that his decision to exit the organization was challenging.
“It’s been such a hard decision for me. I love the BBC. I’m passionate about our values and the role we have in our country – and what we do globally too,” Hall wrote in the email.
“If I followed my heart I would genuinely never want to leave. However, I believe that an important part of leadership is putting the interests of the organisation first. The BBC has an eleven-year Charter – our mission is secure until 2027. But we also have a mid-term review process for the spring of 2022. As I said last week, we have to develop our ideas for both. And it must be right that the BBC has one person to lead it through both stages,” Hall continued.
Hall first joined the BBC in 1973 as a trainee and rose through the broadcaster’s news ranks until he was appointed Director of BBC News and Current Affairs in 1990, combining TV and radio for the first time.
He was named Director General in 2012 but did not take office in his new role until the following year.
He also served as the Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden from 2001 to 2013 and is a life peer of the House of Lords.
