News breaker

Ceri Thomas has been confirmed as the new editor of Panorama on BBC1. He's already had an impact as caretaker, with the remaining four staff reporters on notice of redundancy. The period before they physically exit has been extended in negotiations with the unions, so it'll be interesting to see if there's a John Sweeney finale.

Ceri was previously editor of Today on Radio 4, and then Head of News Programmes, but flew even closer to the management uplands during the period of the Pollard Inquiry, acting as a No 2 across the whole of news to Fran Unsworth, before James Harding arrived. He's clearly happier closer to output, and the press notice of his appointment uses the word "investigative" five times. The old regime believe the Panorama audience are in for cheap, run-round-the-houses shows in future - that, or tear-jerking "real-life" stories.  Let's see...