BBC Trust chairman gives notice, BBC 1 boss leaves for C4

Sir Michael Lyons, the chairman of the BBC Trust will step down next year. The Trust oversees activity at the UK public broadcaster. Lyons told BBC director general Mark Thompson and culture secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday that he would not seek to serve a second four-year term at the Trust. He had having previously indicated he would stay on. His departure comes ahead of the BBC’s negotiations with the government over the annual licence fee.

The BBC lost another key figure yesterday when BBC 1 controller Jay Hunt announced she was leaving the broadcaster to join Channel 4 as chief creative officer. Having also served as director of programmes at Channel 5, she will replace Julian Bellamy who has been acting CCO and unsuccessfully applied for the permanent position. BBC director of vision Jana Bennett will take temporary charge of BBC 1.