THE BBC is set to announce a raft of new appointments in Scotland. It follows the news that Muriel Gray has been made the national member for Scotland on the BBC board.

Ms Gray, a staunch Unionist who often describes supporters of independence as “separatists” will play a significant role in setting the strategic direction of the BBC in Scotland for the next four years.

A source close to the BBC told The National: “Muriel will bring sensitivity and a light touch to the role, deploying the diplomacy and charm for which she is known.

“She has an abiding love for Scotland that eventually won round the British government during what was a fraught and close-run selection process.”

READ MORE: Muriel Gray appointed to role representing Scotland at the BBC

It’s thought that a tweet of Ms Gray’s several years ago helped to win her the post: “Politics now like a religion in Scotland. Used to be debatable and enthralling. Now? Tribal. Identity politics. For us or against us. Tragic.”

Now, a leaked internal document produced by the BBC and seen by The National, reveals further plans to shake up the BBC north of the Border.

The famous and globally respected television presenter, Dr Neil Oliver, becomes the BBC’s first-ever health and Covid director. This is a special post which has been created recognising the long-term nature of Covid-19. Dr Oliver will oversee the future direction of the BBC’s pandemic coverage for the next four years.

The National understands that Dr Oliver has also been commissioned to write and present a major 24-part documentary detailing the history of vaccinations in the UK. A source close to Dr Oliver said that his research had already uncovered some eye-watering revelations about the forced vaccination of Scottish children for measles, smallpox, diphtheria and polio.

It includes claims that the indiscriminate vaccination regime has been responsible for:

  • Scotland FAILING to reach the finals of a major international football tournament for 22 years.
  • FAILING to produce a winner of Strictly Come Dancing
  • CAUSING rising sea levels off the north-east coast of Scotland where unused vaccines were dumped.

Dr Oliver’s research has also found evidence of a government cover-up of a zombie outbreak in the Scottish Borders directly linked to the mass child vaccine roll-out of the 1960s and 1970s. There is strong anecdotal evidence – passed down from generation to generation – that a community of mutants with superhuman powers living in a secret network of caves has been responsible for abnormal spikes in local numbers of missing persons.

The leaked memo which has been circulating among senior executives at Pacific Quay also reveals that Sir Ian Botham is to be appointed to head up a new unit delving into Scottish history.

A BBC spokesperson said: “The corporation has felt for a long time that coverage of Scottish history has been too partisan and favours sentiment over historical accuracy. The BBC is renowned across the world for the balance and authority of its journalism.

“We want to explore previously hidden claims that the Highland Clearances brought peace and prosperity to the Scottish Highlands and led to dozens of new jobs being created in the early days of the transatlantic cruise sector.

“Sir Ian will also be responsible for commissioning a new 24-part docudrama series on how Bonnie Prince Charlie had converted to the English cause during the ’45 rebellion and worked secretly to advance the cause of the British Crown throughout the 1730s and 1740s.”

In a further move which the BBC says will strengthen its coverage of the Scottish financial world, the renowned husband-and-wife duo of Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan will spearhead a new BBC Scotland economics department.

“Richard and Judy’s long career in the daytime television sector has brought them into contact with many people across the UK with amazing stories to tell,” the BBC spokesperson said.

‘THEY are particularly keen to explore the long-held theory that North Sea oil was a myth and that footage of the Queen switching on the North Sea pipeline in 1979 was stage-managed by the very same people who orchestrated the elaborate moon-landing coverage that hoodwinked the world in 1969.

“Viewers will be asked: ‘What Do You Think? Dial 0800 1957 7171 now to be put through to our specially trained team of Scottish economic specialists’.”

The leaked memo also reveals that His Royal Highness Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will become joint heads of BBC Scotland’s sports department. This follows the success of Prince Harry’s Invictus Games.

“The prince has long nurtured a deep love for Scottish sport and became an avid follower of Raith Rovers during an unofficial stopover there when he was a captain in the British Army doing exercises in the nearby Balgreggie Craigs,” the BBC spokesperson said.

“We would often visit the charming town of Raith and I was cheering on the Rovers when they got to the final of the America’s Cup,” the Prince has said in the Netflix documentary he co-presented with his wife in 2020.

The National also understands the corporation intends to beef up its coverage of Scottish crime with a new investigations unit and that Jeremy Clarkson has been sounded out for the role.

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It has long been felt among BBC Scotland executives that its coverage of crime north of the Border has tended to have a disproportionate focus on violent crime. It’s understood that while this is, of course, sometimes unavoidable executives want to introduce more footage of high-speed car chases featuring police and local roasters driving stolen vehicles.

Said the spokesperson: “Mr Clarkson brings a wealth of experience in this area and is keen to bring the corporation into the local communities by featuring a Bam of the Month feature to highlight issues of alienation and marginalisation in disadvantaged communities.”

In news thought to be entirely unrelated to the appointment of Ms Gray to the BBC board executives are set to announce that work will soon begin on a £50 million, state-of-the-art sprinkler system at Pacific Quay. This would bring it into line with lots of other national broadcasting headquarters all over the world.

A BBC Scotland source said: “We have lots of valuable artefacts and national treasures stored at Pacific Quay that must be preserved for the nation. These include a rare, signed picture of Jackie Bird meeting Tony Blair in 1997 and a wealth of silverware picked up at assorted national television awards recognising outstanding achievement in reading autocues under pressure. And they all need to be protected.”