BBC Chairman Richard Sharp announced his resignation today, Friday, after an independent report by lawyer Adam Heppinstall revealed that he violated public appointment rules by failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest related to securing a $1 million loan for former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The report found that Sharp breached the public appointments rule by not fully disclosing the details of his involvement in facilitating an £800,000 ($1 million) loan to Johnson before taking up his role at the BBC. The regulatory body is specifically investigating whether Sharp fully disclosed the details of his role in the loan arrangement.
Sharp indicated that he agreed to remain in his position until the end of June to give the government time to find a successor, as the BBC is funded by license fees paid by television viewers. In a statement, he noted that staying until the end of his four-year term could distract from the "good work" being done by the BBC. He added, "I believed it was right to prioritize the interests of the BBC. Therefore, I decided this morning to submit my resignation."
His resignation comes amid increasing political scrutiny of the BBC, which was in the headlines last month due to a dispute with sports presenter Gary Lineker over neutrality. Sharp, a former Goldman Sachs banker, became BBC Chairman in 2021 and has faced pressure since February when a committee of lawmakers stated that he made "serious misjudgments" by failing to disclose his involvement in the loan.
