THE new director-general of the BBC was announced today as ex-deputy chair of Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative Party Tim Davie.

The former corporate marketeer is set to replace Tony Hall on September 1, after the latter said in January that he was leaving after seven years in the post.

Lord Hall’s resignation came amid a stream of public crises at the BBC around equal pay, diversity, the scrapping of free TV licences for over-75s, competition from online streaming services and the  coronavirus pandemic – which Mr Hall warned could cost the BBC £125 million.