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Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026

BBC Appoints Elan Closs Stephens as Acting Chair in Wake of Scandal

BBC Appoints Elan Closs Stephens as Acting Chair in Wake of Scandal

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has appointed Elan Closs Stephens as its acting chair, following the resignation of Richard Sharp in a cronyism scandal.
Closs Stephens, a member of the BBC's governing body since 2010, will take over on June 27 for a year, or until a permanent chair is appointed.

Sharp resigned in April after an independent report found he had breached rules by not disclosing a potential conflict of interest in helping to secure a $1 million loan for then-prime minister Boris Johnson.

Closs Stephens has a career in broadcasting and academia, and currently serves as the Welsh member of the BBC board.

She is also the Electoral Commissioner for Wales and a member of the UK Electoral Commission Board.

The appointment of Closs Stephens comes as the BBC faces criticism over its handling of the scandal and its ties to the Conservative Party.

The government has appointed a review panel to examine the BBC's governance and culture.
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