Smouldering

As regular readers will know, I'm practically combusting with excitement over the appointment of the next Director General of the BBC.

This coming week, BBC Trustees will grill the final candidates, with a view to a public announcement of their anointed one in the week beginning 2nd July. (This timetable doesn't invalidate my predictions so far - the choice will have to be made before Wimbledon proper starts on 25th June, to allow some time for super-vetting).

We've got the panel - Lord Patten, Diane Coyle, Alison Hastings, David Liddiment, Antony Fry and Richard Ayre. Have we got the shortlist ? Media watcher Ray Snoddy tweeted last week that there were three outsiders, on top of Ed Richards, still in play.

Half-credible suggestions include Lionel Barber of the FT, known to be rated by Lord Patten; James Purnell, ex BBC, now Blair-ite in exile for Labour; and Peter Fincham, of ITV. After that, my mischievous friends spin me lines - Gary Barlow, Russell Brand, James Murdoch and Sven Goran Eriksson. Too late for further research - we need that shortlist and a licence-payers vote-line !