BBC executive who approved filming of Cliff Richard police raid from helicopter vies for top news job

A BBC boss at the centre of the Cliff Richard scandal that cost the broadcaster more than £2million is the leading contender to get the job running the Corporation’s news operations.

As head of newsgathering, Jonathan Munro was involved in the decision to fly a helicopter over the singer’s home during a police raid in 2014. He later said that he believed the flyover was ‘acceptable’ and congratulated the journalist involved for getting a scoop.

But Sir Cliff sued the BBC for breach of privacy after South Yorkshire police tipped the Corporation off about their raid on the property in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

The singer, who had falsely been accused of historic sex offences, won his case against the broadcaster in July 2018 with a judge ordering the BBC to pay £210,000 in damages and £2 million to cover legal costs.

Mr Munro, 55, is the frontrunner to replace Fran Unsworth, who last week announced she was quitting her £340,000 job as the BBC’s Director of News.

It followed a toxic row over the planned appointment of Jess Brammar, who has been openly critical of the Tory Government and Brexit, as executive news editor at the Corporation.

Jamie Angus, 47, who is currently senior controller and one of Ms Unsworth’s deputies, is also in the running for the prestigious job.

In evidence given to the High Court three years ago, Mr Munro admitted that a key factor in the BBC’s decision to deploy the helicopter was that police had tipped off its journalists that footage of officers searching the property would be difficult to obtain at ground level.

In a written statement, he said he was proud of the story and had emailed Dan

‘I do not have any concerns about using these images’

Johnson, the reporter who received the police tip-off, to congratulate him on an ‘excellent piece of journalism’ which had resulted in the ‘BBC breaking a high profile, exclusive story’. Mr Munro added: ‘I have reviewed the images which the BBC broadcast, including the helicopter footage. I do not have any concerns about the broadcasting of these images.’

A former deputy editor of ITV News, Mr Munro was also involved in the rehiring of Martin Bashir as Religious Affairs correspondent in 2016, despite the ‘deceitful methods’ used to secure his 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana.

In an email to staff in September 2016, Mr Munro welcomed the now-disgraced journalist back to the Corporation, saying: ‘Martin’s track record in enterprising journalism, including time in BBC News and at Panorama in the 1980s and 90s is well-known and respected in the industry and amongst our audience.’

He added: ‘A student of theology, Martin will bring immense knowledge of the brief to his new role, and enthusiasm to cover the broadest range of faith-based stories. Please join me in welcoming Martin. I’m greatly looking forward to seeing and hearing him on our output.’

Colleagues claimed that an internal candidate, the BBC’s highly respected former foreign correspondent Matthew Price, had been keen on the Religious Affairs role and would have taken the job for a small pay increase. Instead, the post went to Bashir.

Ms Unsworth, 63, who has worked for the BBC for more than 40 years, will leave her role next year. BBC sources suggested she had ‘had enough’ of her ‘no-win job’.

The BBC declined to comment.