The BBC has confirmed plans to appoint an interim director general after Tim Davie leaves on April 2.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, who is currently the BBC’s Director of Nations, will take over from Davie in early April for “such a period as required until the formal start of a new Director-General,” according to a just-sent internal note from BBC Chair Samir Shah. We understand Davie, who announced his resignation late last year following the Donald Trump Panorama debacle, is serving out his full notice period.

Between now and April 2, Talfan Davies will deputize for Davie where possible and join the BBC Board as an Executive Director.

Talfan Davies has been with the BBC on and off for the past 25 years. Since 2020, he has been Director of Nations, holding responsibility for teams and audiences in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. His place as Director of Nations has been taken on an interim basis by Rhuanedd Richards.

“The process to appoint the new Director-General is well underway,” wrote Shah. “This remains my biggest priority and I will update you as soon as we have a successful outcome. There will be a time to celebrate Tim and thank him for his extraordinary contribution to the BBC nearer his departure date. Until then, Tim continues to lead the corporation through this critical period as we prepare our response to the government’s consultation on its Green Paper on the future of the BBC Charter.”

With a paucity of internal candidates, Talfan Davies is viewed as the most likely BBC staffer to take over from Davie full time. Frontrunners for the role all come from outside the BBC, including Apple TV Europe boss Jay Hunt, Sony international chief Charlotte Moore and former Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon. Hunt and Moore are both ex-BBC employees. It has also been widely reported that, once in place, the new DG will hire a deputy DG, possibly with newsroom experience.

Davie resigned alongside his news chief Deborah Turness following the Trump saga, which has seen the POTUS sue the BBC for $10B over a botched edit of his Jan 6. speech. Shah has repeatedly said he and the Board did not want Davie to resign and are devastated by his exit.