Richard Sharp leaves the BBC after conflict of interest

April 28, 2023 /Media/ — Richard Sharp resigned as Chairman of the BBC on April 28, 2023, after a report found he had breached rules on public appointments by failing to declare his connection to a secret £800,000 loan made to Boris Johnson.

The report, by the UK commissioner of public appointments, found that Sharp had created a “potential perceived conflict of interest” by not disclosing his knowledge of the loan when he was appointed to the BBC board in 2020.

Sharp had previously worked as a consultant to Johnson and his wife, Carrie, and had also helped to arrange the loan. He had also met with Johnson in Downing Street to discuss the loan, but had not declared this meeting when he was appointed to the BBC board.

The report found that Sharp’s failure to declare his connections to Johnson was “a serious error of judgment” and that it had “created the appearance of a conflict of interest”.

Sharp apologized for his actions and said that he had “acted in good faith”. However, he said that he felt it was “in the best interests of the BBC” for him to resign.

Sharp’s resignation comes at a time of increased scrutiny of the BBC’s independence. The BBC is funded by a public license fee, but it is also subject to government oversight. In recent years, there have been concerns that the government is trying to interfere with the BBC’s editorial independence.

Sharp’s resignation is likely to further fuel these concerns. It will also raise questions about the future of the BBC and its role in British society.

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