Radio 4 controller hunt 'tops 14 names'

A shortlist of 14 candidates has reportedly been drawn up by the BBC to find a successor to the outgoing controller of Radio 4, Mark Damazer.

According to The Guardian, the BBC's director of audio and music Tim Davie has pulled together a list of candidates to replace Damazer, who is leaving the corporation to become the new head of St. Peter's College at Oxford University.

The list includes controller of BBC Knowledge George Entwistle, who is considered to be a good fit for the position as his current role covers a wide factual brief.

BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow is also thought to be in the running, along with Roly Keating, who is currently overseeing the BBC's archives project.

Ceri Thomas, editor of Radio 4's Today programme, is also believed to be on the list, while Newsnight editor Peter Rippon has been heavily linked to the position.

Google's head of communications Peter Barron, who previously edited Newsnight, is among external candidates for the role.

However, Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt recently ruled himself out of the process and Radio 4's head of specialist factual programmes Mohit Bakaya is not being considered at his own request.

The extensive list of candidates is thought to reflect the fact that there is no obvious front-runner at present to take over from Damazer.

A BBC executive close to the selection process said: "The field is wide open and it will take some time to decide."