Who is Samir Shah?

SAMIR Shah is at the top of his game, after it was revealed he has been approved by the government to be the new boss of the BBC.

It comes after ex-Beeb chairman Richard Sharp resigned in April 2023.

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Born in January 1952, Samir Shar is government's choice of who they would like to be the next chairman of the BBC.

He has over 40 years of experience, having started his career in TV in 1979 at London Weekend Television.

Shah has also worked for the BBC on multiple occasions, in positions of power.

The BBC chair is chosen by the government and officially signed off by the prime minister.

Their job is to be an intermediary between the government and the BBC.

A BBC spokesman said: “We welcome the announcement that Samir Shah has been selected as the Government’s preferred candidate to take up the role of BBC Chair and look forward to him joining the Board once the formal process has been completed.

What is Juniper TV?

Shah is the chief executive of Juniper TV, which is an independent production company.

They supply programmes to the BBC, as well as other organisations including Channel 4.

Streaming services like Netflix and National Geographic also use Juniper TV.

When has Samir Shah worked for the BBC?

Shah previously worked as the BBC's head of current affairs and was responsible for its political coverage.

He later went on to head the corporation's political journalism across radio and television.

In 2007, Shah was appointed as a non-executive director on the BBC Board

If his appointment to Beeb chairman goes ahead, he will be tasked with renegotiating the licence fee.

Ministers reportedly plan to set the licence fee at the lowest rate possible.

Shah will also have to handle the BBC's investigation into Tim Westwood and other scandals involving its presenters.

It comes after ex-chairman Richard Sharp quit when a probe found he had breached public appointment rules.

Sharp had failed to declare that he helped then-PM Boris Johnson get an £800,000 loan.

Other candidates to replace Sharp reportedly included Dame Elan Closs Stephens, who has been acting chairman.

The Sun reported how many candidates are said to have turned down the job after being tapped by headhunters.

In the past, Shah has been critical of the BBC during his time as non-executive director.

In 2008, he said that the “One BBC ethos” unwittingly created a “monolithic posture that makes it appear anti-competitive”.

His views were contained in an essay, called The BBC, Viewed from Inside and Out, in a book, The Price of Plurality.

Shah raised the question of whether the BBC should be the sole beneficiary of the licence fee in future.