EZ money

The Mail has uncovered the fee paid to headhunters Egon Zehnder for unearthing George Entwistle as BBC Director of Vision, succeeding Jana Bennett in April last year. (George was already Acting Director of Vision). £109,999.89 plus VAT. Then, of course, they relentlessly sniffed out George again, to be Director General, announced on 4th July.  £186,000 plus VAT (a figure adjusted upwards on 7th July when the Trust found another invoice).

And the Mail finds that in October 2010, EZ were paid £78,400 plus VAT for work on the recruitment of Ralph Rivera as Digital Media Director.

Now, for completeness, all we need is the fee the DCMS paid EZ to bring us Lord Patten as BBC Chairman.

• In a sign that there's no lull in sniping at the BBC despite the Opening Ceremony, The Telegraph reports that KPMG entertained BBC execs including Zarin Patel, Lucy Adams and Rachel Currie to dinner at Bocca Di Lupo, Soho, in January last year. KPMG had been reviewing work on closing the BBC's old pension scheme, and delivering a new, cheaper version (or two).  The Telegraph says the bill was over £80 per head.  With top main courses at £25, it seems wine may have been taken.