THE new director of BBC Scotland has said she "can't wait to get started" in the role after being at the corporation for 18 years.
Hayley Valentine (below), currently head of BBC Midlands in Birmingham, will take up the post in early November, succeeding Steve Carson in the role.
Since joining the BBC in 1996, she has been executive producer of BBC Question Time, director of current affairs at Mentorn, head of news at Radio 5 Live, and head of the BBC Radio newsroom.
She was also the launch editor of BBC Scotland’s The Nine news programme.
In 2019 – when Valentine was editor of the flagship BBC Scottish news programme – she said that she would defend the BBC’s coverage of the 2014 indyref against accusations of bias “until my dying day”.
The broadcaster faced well-documented criticism for its failure to properly cover the Yes campaign in 2014.
Upon being appointed as director of BBC Scotland, Valentine said: “I am thrilled to have been asked to lead BBC Scotland.
READ MORE: Israel launches ground incursion into southern Lebanon
“There is a wealth of first-class creative talent in Scotland within the BBC and across the wider sector.
“I am looking forward to working with them all to create the highest quality content for our audiences in Scotland, and to represent Scotland to audiences across the UK and beyond.
“I really can’t wait to get started.”
A graduate of Edinburgh University, she worked as a journalist at DC Thomson and Radio Forth before joining the BBC.
The corporation said in her new role she will lead the development of a wide range of content and services for audiences in Scotland across television, radio and online.
This includes BBC Reporting Scotland, Sportscene, Disclosure, BBC Radio Scotland, the BBC Scotland channel, and the work of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
BBC director general Tim Davie said: “Hayley is a proven creative leader with a passionate commitment to serving audiences across Scotland.
“I know she is determined to build on BBC Scotland’s editorial success – strengthening its online services and working with partners right across the sector to ensure Scotland packs a creative punch not just at home, but internationally too.”
Carson is taking up a new position in Dublin with the Republic of Ireland’s public service broadcaster, RTE.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel