New BBC chairman warns of ‘hard choices’ ahead

The new BBC chairman has warned the corporation faces "hard choices and tough decisions" as it must "live within our means".

Veteran TV executive Samir Shah replaces former Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp, who resigned last year after failing to declare his connection to an £800,000 loan made to Boris Johnson.

Since then, Dame Elan Closs Stephens has been acting BBC chairwoman.

In an email to staff on the first day of his tenure, Shah said the BBC must "adapt and innovate to ensure that the BBC remains relevant and accessible to all".

Acknowledging an imminent debate on the future of the licence fee, he said: "Whatever our longer-term funding model, there are also nearer-term budgetary pressures and a clear imperative to invest in digital technology now."

He added: "But we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation.

"That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently. My role is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions."

Shah also stressed the importance of the BBC'S news output, and said: "We must be the home of the most trusted news across the UK and, indeed, the world.

"In a world where there are forces fracturing society, we should be a sanctuary for empathy and understanding. We are a place where people from all walks of life, with every kind of view, can find something to enjoy."

He continued: "Arguably the most important of my responsibilities is to safeguard its independence.”