Channel 4 shortlist down to four

by Staff,, Brand Republic 16-Nov-01, 08:50

LONDON - The line-up for the top job at Channel 4 has been reduced to four players with the news that Channel 5 chief executive Dawn Airey and Endemol creative director Peter Bazalgette have pulled out of the running.

Yesterday afternoon, Airey announced that she had decided not to pursue the interest she had received from Channel 4's management and that she will remain at the UK's fifth terrestrial channel for the time being.

Airey's announcement was closely followed by the news that Bazalgette has told TV production house Endemol that he has written to Channel 4 to tell them that his future lies with Endemol and he does not wish to be considered as a candidate.

The withdrawals see the list of candidates whittled down to four. Lord Waheed Alli, founder of Big Breakfast production company Planet 24; Peter Finch, the head of Talkback Productions -- the company behind They Think it's All Over; Jana Bennett, the former head of science at the BBC; and Mark Thompson, the BBC's director of television are all thought to be in the running for the post.

However, although Thompson is said to be considering the position, it is widely viewed that he will remain at the BBC to challenge Greg Dyke for the position of director general when Dyke's term is up in 2004.

Bazalgette's decision to pull out of the race is reported to have been influenced by the cost of breaking his contract at Endemol.

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