DG2020 - 6

I'm guessing - but may be wrong - that there's a sort of purdah now for internal candidates, as the DG Stakes 2020 run their course. And that Bob Shennan, as Group Managing Director, will speak more often, say, than lame-ducked Lord Hall. This presumes he's not a candidate, though of course, would be well-placed to hold warmly and closely the hand of an outsider, should that be the eventual choice.

So today Bob has a letter in The Times, rebutting the business analysis of Tory MP and former mortgage-broker James Cartlidge. Mr Cartlidge, who boasts a degree in economics from Manchester University, suggested the rest of the world could pay for the BBC via subscriptions to the iPlayer. Bob points out that vast swathes of current BBC output is already spoken for around the globe, in pre-production deals with other companies.

Whilst there may be verbal purdah for internal candidates, Charlotte Moore, at Content, is waving her hands by moving Top Gear and The Repair Shop to BBC1.