Duncan to leave Channel 4 before the end of the year

Channel 4 has announced that chief executive Andy Duncan is to step down before the end of the year.

Duncan confirmed his decision to the Channel 4 board earlier today, with staff told at 11am. Finance director Anne Bulford will take on the chief executive role on an acting basis if a successor is not in place before Duncan leaves.

Duncan said: “Our future as the main source of public service competition to the BBC has been secured, with the Digital Britain report strongly endorsing our vision for Channel 4 as a digital public service network and the updated remit we proposed due to be enshrined in legislation in the autumn.”

He added: “Channel 4 is facing a further period of change, with a fresh regulatory cycle looming and with the cancellation of Big Brother signalling the most significant creative renewal in our history.

“We have mutually agreed that this feels like the appropriate moment for me to hand on the baton to someone else and to move on to a fresh challenge after more than five years at the helm.”

He added that he intends to see through further changes in his remaining months at the broadcaster, “including the update of our remit and the completion of a number of exciting commercial partnerships currently under discussion”.

Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson said: “The board is grateful for Andy’s effective leadership. Channel 4 has enjoyed record creative and commercial success in the last five years while skilfully navigating the seismic upheavals in digital media. When the time comes, he will depart with our best wishes for his future success.”