New Boss at the BBC

The new man in charge of the BBC has paid tribute to Doctor Who on his first day as Editor-in-Chief of the Corporation, the man ultimately responsible for everything broadcast.

George Entwistle took charge of the national broadcaster today as the 15th Director General, taking over from Mark Thompson who had been in charge since 2004 and who now leaves to become Chief Executive Officer of The New York Times Company.

Entwistle told staff he wanted the BBC to be one of the major international media brands with a vibrant presence in many markets built around major pieces of BBC content such as Top Gear, Doctor Who and Dancing With The Stars. In an interview with Radio Times he recalled how he fell in love with television drama as a child while watching Doctor Who with his family. "Jon Pertwee was my Doctor," he said, "I was a bit sceptical about the Tom Baker regeneration."

Entwistle praised the way the BBC produced its Olympic coverage, which managed to bring the nation together, and he looked ahead to events that would give the BBC the chance to take the Olympics formula and make it work again, including the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who next year.