This morning’s abrupt announcement that Tony Hall is to step down as Director-General of the BBC has sent succession speculation into overdrive. As ever, Guido brings you the runners and riders for the perhaps appropriately communist-sounding job title…

• Charlotte Moore
  Currently the Beeb’s Director of Content, and a former Controller of BBC One, Moore has been with the corporation for fourteen years. A safe choice, with the added bonus that the gender-pay-embattled BBC would be able to boast about hiring a woman. Of course, Guido would prefer conscientious objector to the BBC’s TV tax Charles Moore…
• Tim Davie
  Advantage of having done the role before, for five months immediately preceding Tony Hall’s tenure. Would make a fitting bookend…
• Jay Hunt
  Aussie-born Jay abandoned the BBC to become Chief Creative Officer of Channel 4 in 2011, quickly taking Matt Frei and Michael Crick with her. Channel 4 pedigree might not be the best way to win the trust of this Government with Charter renewal being a big part of the brief…
• Carolyn McCall
  Serial businesswoman and Chief Executive of ITV since 2018, it must be tempting to step up from the third channel to the first. Although she hasn’t long in post before a move…
• Alex Mahon
  Chief Executive of Channel 4 since 2017, when she became the first female CEO of a major UK broadcaster. The Beeb will be tempted to tick the female box, however, might be wary of hyper-left wing hires…
• James Purnell
  Went from appearing on Newsnight seamlessly to being the BBC’s Director of Strategy and Digital. If a former Labour cabinet minister can get the job, surely other partisan people should be considered too…
• Robbie Gibb
  If James Purnell can go from government to the BBC, why can’t the former editor of Newsnight go from government to the private sector, back to the BBC?

Guido will be surprised if it is not a woman…