Top jobs at the BBC to be filled by ITV trio

MICHAEL GRADE, chief executive of Channel 4, yesterday upstaged John Birt, the new director general of the BBC, by disclosing the departure of Liz Forgan from Channel 4 three days before Mr Birt is due to announce her move to the BBC. Ms Forgan, Channel 4's director of programmes since 1988, is expected to play a similar role at the BBC, covering its two television channels and possibly radio.

She is unlikely, though, to be made deputy director-general, the post for which she was tipped before Christmas. That role now looks certain to go to Bob Phillis, chief executive of Independent Television News, who has the experience in financial management that both Mr Birt and Ms Forgan lack. Ms Forgan, 48, would be number three in the hierarchy.

The top three posts at the BBC would then be held by people who have spent most of their careers in ITV. This unprecedented state of affairs is evidence of Mr Birt's determination to make radical changes and will provoke more uncertainty among BBC staff, already in a state of high anxiety over forthcoming changes.

The two appointments are expected to be part of a comprehensive restructure of the way the BBC is organised. This will include closer integration between radio and television and may mean the abolition of the controller posts at BBC 1 and BBC 2.

The BBC 1 job has been vacant since Jonathan Powell moved last month to Carlton, the new London area ITV franchise-holder, and Alan Yentob, controller of BBC 2, is running both channels. Mr Yentob had been suggested as a replacement for Ms Forgan at Channel 4, but he said yesterday that he had not been approached. His role in Mr Birt's scheme of things is unclear, as is that of Will Wyatt, managing director of television.

BBC officials were annoyed by the timing of Mr Grade's announcement. A spokesman for Channel 4 said he went public yesterday to end speculation about Ms Forgan's job at a delicate time, when the channel has just emerged from the financial protection of the ITV companies. John Willis, Ms Forgan's 46-year-old deputy, succeeds her on 26 January. His job will be filled by Andrea Wonfor, controller of arts and entertainment.

Mr Grade said that Ms Forgan, whose contract had 16 months to run, would pay back money that she, in common with other senior Channel 4 executives, was awarded in 1991 as 'golden handcuffs' to prevent their defecting to companies bidding for ITV franchises.

The amount was pounds 105,000, equal to a year's salary. It was paid in stages over three years, so she will only have received two-thirds so far. At the BBC, her salary is likely to be about pounds 130,000, and Mr Phillis's a little more.

Mr Phillis, 47, began his career in printing and has been managing director of both Central Television and Carlton. Although he left Carlton before it won its franchise, he was largely responsible for writing its bid. At ITN he has gained a reputation as a tough manager, vigorously slashing costs and jobs and installing accountants on newsdesks.