How do you like them apples ?

The Golden Apples of seats on the new BBC (Unitary) Board have been thrown in rather different directions to those anticipated.

Yes, DG Lord Hall and his No 2, Anne Bulford take two of the homeside seats, alongside new Chairman, Sir David Clementi. But the story coming from Broadcasting House is that the remaining two go to Tim Davie, the BBC's most expensive employee, as Director of BBC Worldwide - and Ken MacQuarrie, newly-appointed holder of the resurrecting title of Director of Nations and Regions.

This avoids entirely the problems of making choices between James Harding, Director of News, James Purnell, Director of Radio and Education and Charlotte Moore Director of Content.

Gnomically, Sir David Clementi offers this quote in the press release. “Consideration around succession planning has played no part in the Board appointments being announced today.”