Elevation

On 26th September 2016, Martin Bashir was announced as the BBC's new Religious Affairs Correspondent. On 30th September 2016, James Purnell was announced as Director of Radio & Education. In November 2016 James Purnell was given additional custody of the BBC's religious programming, across radio, tv and online.  

In September 2018, James Purnell reported on his renewal of the BBC's religious content. 

"In BBC News we’ve appointed Martin Bashir as the BBC’s Religion Editor. He’s already having an impact, whether accompanying the Pope, examining Trump’s links to American evangelicals or returning to Manchester to see how faith leaders are helping the city heal."

There'll be interest in the use of 'we've'. There was interest at the time amonst Beeboids as to whether the post had been advertised and boarded.  Yesterday, former Director of News James Harding couldn't remember. 

Meranwhile I am reminded that in 2018, Martin Bashir wrote a foreword to former DDG Mark Byford's 2018 tome, The Annunciation - A Pilgrim's Quest, describing it as ‘an extraordinary devotional journey… unique and thought-provoking.'   Byford joined the BBC's Board of Management in 1996 as Director of Regional Broadcasting.