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Cohen to leave the BBC

The BBC’s director of television Danny Cohen is leaving the corporation after eight years to take on his “next big challenge.”

Danny Cohen

Danny Cohen

Cohen, who will leave the Beeb at the end of November, did not reveal further details of his next move. “In the last few weeks I’ve been approached about a number of exciting opportunities and I want to consider these in an open and transparent way,” he said.

Mark Linsey, controller of entertainment commissioning, will take on Cohen’s responsibilities until a replacement is found.

Cohen has overseen raft of series for the pubcaster including Happy Valley, Poldark and Last Tango in Halifax, while Wolf Hall, Top of the Lake and Peaky Blinders have also aired under his watch.

The BBC TV chief has been a staunch defender of the pubcaster’s entertainment programming of late in the face of criticism from politicians over series including Strictly Come Dancing and The Voice. He also led BBC1’s 2012 London Olympics coverage.

Cohen hinted that he could be set to move into the tech world: “There has never been a more exciting time for television and digital media. I’m looking forward to taking up a new leadership role in this age of intense creative and technological innovation.”

His exit comes at a critical moment for the BBC, which is in the midst of negotiating its royal charter with the UK government and has been faced with swingeing cuts that have reduced staff numbers and programming.

“Throughout this time, we’ve delivered a fantastically rich slate of groundbreaking shows, thought-provoking ideas, national and international awards and global hits. We have made our audiences laugh, cry and think, and have made extraordinary imprints on our national culture and the BBC’s international reputation,” Cohen added.

BBC director general Tony Hall said: “Danny has done an extraordinary job over the last eight years at the BBC. In a world of intense competition and choice, he has further enhanced the BBC’s reputation for quality programming that is full of ambition and creativity.”

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