Lord Hall of Birkenhead quit the BBC on Monday after ministers threatened to appoint a Tory as the corporation’s next chairman and undermine his licence fee deal for the over-75s.

The director-general took staff by surprise when he announced his decision to step down two years earlier than expected.

The 68-year-old will leave in the summer just as the BBC implements its controversial policy requiring more than three million pensioners to pay the licence fee.

The Tories are adamant that the BBC should cover the costs and the Prime Minister has ordered a review which could see non-payment of the fee decriminalised.

The Government will appoint a new chairman to replace Sir David Clementi when his term ends in February next year. Sources said Lord Hall believes the appointee will be sympathetic to the Tory view.

It is understood that the BBC board also wanted a new face to lead the corporation as it fights for survival ahead of Charter Renewal in 2027. Lord Hall’s position has been weakened in recent months by accusations of political bias in the BBC’s reporting, and by his failure to get to grips with an equal pay scandal that shows no sign of abating. The Samira Ahmed case has opened the floodgates for women at the corporation to claim millions in back pay.