Acting chair of the BBC revealed after Richard Sharp resigns over £800k loan guarantee to Boris Johnson | The Sun
DAME Elan Closs Stephens was today appointed acting BBC boss following the resignation of Richard Sharp.
Dame Elan will lead the broadcaster until Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer finds a permanent replacement for the top job.
The new BBC chief has been a member of the broadcaster's governing body since 2010.
She first served as member for Wales on the BBC Trust and then as the Welsh member of the BBC board.
In a statement today, Dame Elan said: "It's a huge honour to be appointed by the Secretary of State as acting chair and I am grateful to my fellow board members for putting their trust in me.
"As a board, we will champion the licence fee-payer across all of the UK; ensure the BBC is a vital partner for the UK creative industries; maintain trust and drive change to make the BBC fit for a fast changing media landscape.
"There is much work to be done."
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In April, Mr Sharp stepped down as Beeb Chair following a cronyism row into how he bagged the job.
A probe ruled he breached the rules for public appointments.
Barrister Adam Heppinstall said Mr Sharp "failed to disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest" during his application.
The top lawyer found two failures.
The first was that Mr Sharp informed Mr Johnson of his wish to apply for the BBC job before submitting his application.
And the second was attempting to introduce Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to Canadian millionaire Sam Blyth to facilitate the loan.
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At the time Mr Sharp said: "I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The Secretary of State has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view.
"Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC."
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