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Dateline: 2nd April, 2004

Michael Grade to Chair BBC

Michael Grade will take over as chairman of the BBC from 17th May.

He began his career as a sports with the Daily Mirror in 1964, became a theatrical agent two years later, and then moved into television where he has been, variously, deputy controller of entertainment programmes at LWT (London Weekend Television), controller of BBC1 (where he began EastEnders but axed Dr Who), director of programmes for BBC Television and, from 1988 to 1997, chief executive of Channel 4 where he was named, by the Daily Mail, as Britain's "pornographer-in-chief".

He is currently chairman of Camelot, the company which runs the National Lottery, and chairman of Pinewood-Shepperton studios.

He has a showbusiness family background: his uncle was Lord (Lew) Grade, who was one of the pioneers of ITV.

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell described him as "the right man at the right time", when anouncing his appointment.

The appointment has also been welcomed by staff at the BBC nand by his predecessor Gavyn Davies who described him as an independent person, independent of government. "He believes in journalism," he added. "He believes in creative programme-making."

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©Peter Lathan 2004