Jonathan Wall, the new Controller of BBC Sounds
He has enthusiastically championed 5 live’s push into podcasting, launching titles including That Peter Crouch Podcast and You, Me And The Big C, and has also brought in the likes of Emma Barnett and Nihal Arthanayake.
He said: “After 21 wonderful years at 5 live it is time for a fresh challenge. BBC Sounds, alongside iPlayer, will help make the BBC thrive and it’s a privilege to get the chance to lead so many talented people who want to make sure we reach as many listeners as possible with our brilliant radio, music and podcasts. I can’t wait to get started.”
Richard Maddock, the station’s Commissioning Editor, will become Acting Controller of Radio 5 live, supported by Heidi Dawson as Managing Editor.
The BBC said it would be advertising the vacant position publically “in the near future”.
Acting 5 live Controller Richard Maddock
Recently, we reported how the launch director of the BBC Sounds app, Charlotte Lock, had left the post after opting not to continue to commute to London from her home in the North.
That post has now been closed, the BBC confirmed.
Other senior appointments confirmed today included Mohit Bakaya as the next Controller of Radio 4 and Lorna Clarke as the corporation’s first Controller of Pop Music.
Bakaya has been the Commissioning Editor for Factual at Radio 4 since 2008. He commissions and leads on current affairs, politics, history, science, natural history and religion programming on Radio 4.
Clarke, currently Head of Production for Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music, will have responsibility for the BBC’s pop stations – Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 6 Music, Asian Network – and other music output.
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