The chair of the BBC, Rona Fairhead, is to step down after Theresa May indicated she would have to apply again for the job she was reappointed to by David Cameron just four months ago.

In a statement, Fairhead said that after “much thought” she had concluded it was appropriate not to re-enter the appointment process.

Cameron only decided in May to ask Fairhead to stay on as chair of the BBC Trust during the corporation’s transition to being governed by a single, powerful board. But that decision was criticised by some, who thought the broadcaster’s governance needed a fresh start.

Fairhead’s decision to step aside follows a difficult year for the broadcaster, with Fairhead being criticised from within the corporation for failing to effectively stand up for it during the negotiations leading up to this year’s white paper.

She was also forced to defend her role in agreeing the last-minute financial settlement in July 2015 which forced the BBC to shoulder the cost of supplying free TV licences to the over-75s, an expense previously funded by the taxpayer.



It is understood Fairhead was told just after the parliamentary summer recess by both May and the culture secretary, Karen Bradley, that the government wanted to reopen the appointment process, but she only made her decision public on Tuesday.

It is not certain when a successor will be appointed; the confirmation of Fairhead’s departure means the recruitment process for the chair of the new unitary board will have to start again.

Fairhead, the former chief executive of the Financial Times group said in her statement, initially given to the Financial Times: “I took on leadership of the trust to help stabilise, strengthen and develop the BBC following a very difficult period in its history and through charter review. I am proud of what I and my colleagues, both at the trust and the BBC, have accomplished during the past two years.

“The prime minister strongly encouraged me to take part in the new appointment process, for what would be a new four-year term as BBC chairman. However, after much thought I have come to the conclusion that I should not do so. It is my belief that it will be better to have a clean break and for the government to appoint someone new.”

The culture, media and sport select committee criticised Cameron’s reappointment of Fairhead, saying there should have been an open selection process. Fairhead lost a personal supporter when George Osborne left the Treasury.

Under her agreement with the previous government, Fairhead was to stay on until 2018 to see through the transition to a unitary board. The BBC Trust said Fairhead, who earned £110,000 a year in the role, would not be seeking any payments in lieu of notice on her four-year term.

Fairhead was a surprise choice when she was appointed in October 2014, having had no broadcast or political experience. A favourite, Sebastian Coe, had earlier ruled himself out of the race.



She used an early speech to criticise the structure of BBC governance, saying the dual role of regulator and champion that she inherited at the BBC Trust was a difficult one.



Tony Hall, the BBC’s director general, said: “Rona has made a real contribution to the BBC and at a really important time for us. On behalf of all the staff, I’d like to thank her for that and wish her the very best for the future. We will continue to work together in the interests of licence fee payers until the new governance arrangements are in place.”

Roger Carr, a BBC trustee and long-time favourite to replace Fairhead, has ruled himself out of the role, making it known that he has his hands full as chairman of BAE.

Fairhead will remain as chair of the trust until it is abolished and replaced by a new system of governance. It is unclear when this new system will come into place despite being outlined in the government white paper published in May.



More information is likely when the government publishes a draft BBC charter by the end of this week.

The new charter, expected to come into force by the beginning of 2017, is to scrap the historic system of self-regulation for the BBC and replace it with a new unitary board to govern the BBC. Media regulator Ofcom is to have oversight of the corporation.

However, Ofcom has already said it will not be ready at the start of 2017 to fulfil its expanded role and the previous government agreed that Fairhead should stay in order to help with transition. It is unclear whether she will stay until this system is in place, which is unlikely to be until next spring.

A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that full details of the charter would be announced “shortly”. The announcement is expected on Thursday.

“The government thanks Rona Fairhead for her service to the BBC,” it added.

On social media and privately, few media observers mourned the loss of Fairhead, who has presided over the BBC during a difficult time. Even the manner of her appointment to the new role of chair of the unitary board, a surprise announcement made just before the referendum, attracted criticism as it took place after behind closed doors discussions.

After Carr ruled himself out, the field to become the first chair of the unitary board of the BBC, a role more akin to a traditional PLC board, is wide open.



Names put forward as possible contenders in the past include Howard Stringer, the former head of Sony who is on the BBC executive board, and Marjorie Scardino, the former head of Pearson. Although appointed by the government, the role is meant to be independent.

The relatively unknown Bradley was appointed culture secretary in July by Theresa May, and it will be her appointment to make.