Former BBC director-general Lord Hall has resigned as chairman of the National Gallery saying continuing in the role “would be a distraction to an institution I care deeply about”.
It comes following an inquiry into how Martin Bashir landed the Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.
In a statement, Lord Hall said: “I have today resigned as chair of the National Gallery.
“I have always had a strong sense of public service and it is clear my continuing in the role would be a distraction to an institution I care deeply about.
“As I said two days ago, I am very sorry for the events of 25 years ago and I believe leadership means taking responsibility.”
Sir John Kingman, deputy chair of the National Gallery board of trustees, said: “Tony Hall has been doing a superb job as chair of the National Gallery, where he is much respected and liked.
“The gallery is extremely sorry to lose him, but of course we entirely understand and respect his decision.”
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And Dr Gabriele Finaldi, director of the National Gallery, thanked Lord Hall for his work at the institution.
He said of the former BBC director-general: “He has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the gallery and it has been a great pleasure to work closely with him as we have faced the challenges of Covid and as we prepare to mark the gallery’s bicentenary in 2024.”
The chairman of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Julian Knight has called on current director-general Tim Davie to provide a full explanation as to how Bashir came to be re-employed.
Mr Knight said that some people may suspect that the journalist was given the religion job as a way of keeping quiet about what exactly he knew.
“That is certainly something which some may be suspicious about,” Mr Knight told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
“If they knew he had lied previously and also he’d had to resign from a mediocre American network, why was he good enough for the BBC?
“I just want transparency and answers from the BBC,” he added.
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