Is Auntie struggling to find a woman to take charge? The DCMS is currently seeking a new chairman to replace Rona Fairhead at the BBC Trust, who this year was re-appointed by David Cameron to the role she had held since 2014 but four months later stepped down, after new Prime Minister Theresa May indicated that she must re-apply for the job.
The successful applicant is set to be announced at the beginning of 2017 and so far reports have revealed five names of a six-strong shortlist. The list is missing a woman’s touch but two names in the rumour mill could go some way to rebalancing the scales.
The Londoner has been told that one of two women is set to join the male contenders. Could Dame Liz Forgan, until recently chair of The Scott Trust, which owns The Guardian Media Group, and an experienced BBC hand, step in? Or could it be Camilla Cavendish, the former head of Cameron’s No 10 policy unit? Only last week she gave up the Tory whip in the House of Lords. Could she have done this in order to remove any party-political tag ahead of being considered for such a major job?
A surprise among the male candidates is Sir David Clementi, the former Bank of England deputy governor who was asked by former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to lead a review into the BBC’s governance. His report earlier this year recommended replacing the trust with a unitary board and handing regulatory powers to Ofcom. He is joined by Penguin Random House chairman John Makinson, journalist Roger Parry, William Shawcross of the Charities Commission and Sir David Arculus, former Emap chief executive.
An impressive list, but a bit rich in testosterone. Perhaps in the festive rush executives failed to check it twice?
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Over at the V&A, meanwhile, the powers that be have decided on ex-director Martin Roth’s successor. While it’s not clear who has got the job, we’re told both Tim Knox from Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum and Luke Syson of New York’s Met are out of the running. So who is it? Former English Heritage CEO Simon Thurley has experience as director of the Museum of London. So will he take the South Kensington throne?
Brushstrokes of the political kind
Last week The Londoner was told the National Portrait Gallery was seeking someone to paint David Cameron. Could it go with the man behind the last prime ministerial work? Alastair Adams, who created the institution’s striking Tony Blair oil, offers advice. “Portrait painters need to be honest, objective and offer a critique of their subjects,” he says. “It’s more like cultural ethnography than criticism.”
Adams tells us he’d be interested in the commission but suspects the gallery will seek a new, more surprising choice. He hopes there’s a chance to make a statement, though. “Perhaps the artist could start something and just not finish it off,” he joked.
Those royals can be ever so friendly ...
Film producer Harvey Weinstein and fashion designer Georgina Chapman co-hosted a screening of new film Lion in Soho House last night. The film, starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, is tipped for Oscar success, so it’s no wonder a varied crowd was there including US actor Kelsey Grammer, who met Princess Eugenie and Weinstein.
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Grammer may have wished to keep a distance from royalty: he once joked that the Duchess of Cornwall gave him a friendly pinch on the bottom when they first met. Also there were TV presenter Laura Whitmore, pictured right with the Duchess of York. Both kept their hands where Kelsey could see them.
Silence is golden for Labourites
In the run-up to Christmas, The Londoner hoped Labour’s woes would be solved if only Jeremy Corbyn would don a Santa outfit and spread some Christmas cheer. But it looks like he’d rather have a Silent Night.
Corbyn was among the throng at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane last night for the Labour Party Gala Dinner and Excellence Awards, and addressed the apparently incorrect reports of a karaoke-based dispute at the party’s Christmas bash. “Tonight we are having a silent auction, which is a great idea,” he said. “Next year we should have a silent disco so there is no noise and no misreporting.”
Despite the non-alcoholic champagne, guests celebrated small- and medium-sized businesses, while Yvette Cooper won Parliamentarian of the Year and a sparkling trophy. “Ed [Balls] didn’t get a glitter ball,” she said. “But I’ve got a glitter obelisk.” She might consider regifting, though: she’s neglected her festive shopping for Ed.
“If you can come up with some inspiration for what I can get him for Christmas that would be great,” she grimaced. Corbyn will be of little help. We asked him if he’s sending a courtesy gift to Theresa May. “No, I don’t think so,” he replied. Not even a jar of homemade jam? Mrs May will be devastated.
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Meghan Markle was not invited to the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch today but her blog The Tig has some advice for Her Majesty anyway. The latest entry on the site is “Tips for being an impromptu hostess”, with the suggestion of having “a bottle of bubbles chilling at all times” and to “always keep your home 10 minutes from ready”. The Palace should start fluffing those pillows now.
A cunning cooking plan
Is Miriam González Durántez a closet Christmas Grinch? The lawyer, domestic goddess and wife of former deputy PM Nick Clegg is known for her recipes and this week posted one for Christmas biscuits on her food blog, Mum and Sons.
But it comes with an extra, mischievous tip: “If you are in a ‘being a good person’ phase, follow the recipe and use nicely flavoured sweets to make the transparent glass,” she writes. “The risk is your children will eat the biscuits as soon as you look the other side. If you are in a ‘fed up of being a good person’ phase, then add four generous teaspoons of ground black pepper to the mixture — you can be sure the children will not mess around with your tree.”
Don’t tell Nick.
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Man flu of the day: a photo of Ed Miliband sneezing was used as a stock image on US news. Will it spark a turf war with his New York-based brother David?
