Hall makes an entrance

Well, blow me down. Lord Patten HAS turned to Tony Hall as the next Director General of the BBC.

Disclosure - I joined the BBC on the same News Trainee scheme, back in 1973.

It's not the first time he's considered the post, but this time, they came to him - and, by the looks of it, he wasn't that difficult to persuade.

Expect "passion" and "commitment" to feature in all future statements. Here's his acceptance quote in the BBC press release.

 "I believe passionately in the BBC and that's why I have accepted Lord Patten's invitation to become Director General.

"This organisation is an incredibly important part of what makes the United Kingdom what it is. And of course it matters not just to people in this country – but to tens of millions around the world too.

"It's been a difficult few weeks – but together we'll get through it. I'm committed to ensuring our news services are the best in the world. I'm committed to making this a place where creative people, the best and the brightest, want to work. And I know from my first days here as a news trainee, to my time as head of news and current affairs, to my time now at the Royal Opera House, that I can't do it on my own. Having the right teams working together, sparking off each other, is key."

Will he be styled Lord Hall of Birkenhead ?