UK Bookmakers Place Odds on New BBC Director-General

The BBC has given UK punters a reason to place new bets.  The Director-General of the national broadcaster, George Entwistle, announced a surprise to the public last weekend by tending his resignation.  This has provided various UK sportsbetting venues, both land based and online, an opportunity to take bets on who will be his successor.

Entwistle replaced former BBC Director-General Mark Thompson in September.  His resignation comes only 54 days after taking over the position, which leaves his as the quickest term as Director-General in the history of the BBC.  The resignation was a result of a false report broadcast by the evening political analysis show Newsnight.  In this news piece, suggestions were made that Baron Alistair McAlpine, a retired advisor for ‘the Iron Lady’ Margaret Thatcher, was involved in the North Wales child abuse scandal.

When the report turned out to be based on false information, Entwistle took the blame and tendered his resignation.  In his outgoing speech, Entwistle said it was wrong to broadcast such a report.

“In the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2 November, I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of director general.”

However, UK bookmakers are using the void left by Entwistle’s resignation to offer odds on who will be his replacement.  One of the UK’s top sportsbetting companies Ladbrokes, named former BBC COO Caroline Thomson the favourite to take over Entwistle’s post.  Thomson left the BBC in September when she was passed over for the Director-General post in favour of Entwistle.  Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge says the odds are definitely in Thomson’s favour.

“Another one bites the dust and the odds suggest Thomson won’t be unlucky in the next selection process second time around.”

Other names being given odds include Acting Director-General Tim Davie, BBC’s Director of News Helen Boaden, and Ed Richards, an executive with the government body Ofcom, which grants approval for broadcasting.