MAN IN THE NEWS:
Michael Grade, chairman of the BBC, who quit to join commercial rival ITV |
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Michael Grade is a showman. The fact that his defection to the opposition was leaked minutes before the 10 o'clock news on his own premier channel will have come as no surprise to his friends.
The BBC anchor Huw Edwards was visibly stunned; reporter Nick Higham stuttered that the "astonishing" news was good for ITV and bad for the BBC.
Their charismatic boss, the man who has steadied the ship after the Hutton Inquiry mess, who was still negotiating the new licence fee, who was due to lead the BBC into a new era, was jumping ship.
There were rumours at ITV last week that a big appointment was to be made. The station needed one. Audience share was down, advertising revenue was down and no one was sure what BSkyB's recent purchase of 17.9 per cent of the company really meant. |
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Grade didn’t go into TV to be a civil servant: he has showbiz in
his blood |
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But few would have dreamt that the white knight would be Grade. Well, not unless they remembered him doing this before.
In 1987, Grade was at the BBC where he'd made his name launching EastEnders, televising LiveAid and scrapping Doctor Who. Channel 4 was looking for a new chief executive to replace Jeremy Isaacs, a hard act to follow.
All sorts of names were bandied about before Grade found an excuse to have a quiet word with Dickie Attenborough, C4's chairman. Days later the secret was out - Grade was to head C4. The BBC were furious.
This time, at 63, he is leaving one of the most prestigious jobs in world television. But Grade didn't go into TV to be a civil servant: son of a theatrical agent, nephew of the great TV pioneer Lew Grade, he has showbiz in his blood.
And consider this: the BBC chairman's salary is well under £100,000 a year, barely enough to meet his cigar bill. Running the Beeb might open doors, but there are no share options. 
- Nigel Horne
FIRST POSTED NOVEMBER 28, 2006
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