Lord Puttnam leaves BBC chairman race

Lord Puttnam has declared he is not a candidate for the chairmanship of the BBC.

Speculation has named the film-maker among favourites to take the role since Michael Grade left for ITV in November.

He told The Spectator magazine he had been "agonising" over whether to go for the job in recent months and that it was one of the most difficult decisions he had ever made.

However, he said he would pull out of the race and continue to be a vocal supporter of the corporation from the outside.

Explaining his decision, he simply referred to a scene in one of his films, Chariots of Fire.

He recalled: "Eric Liddell is in the stands watching his great rival Harold Abrahams walking out for the final of the Olympic 100 metres.

"His coach leans across and asks, 'Any regrets, Eric - that you are not down there with them?' Eric nods and replies, 'Regrets, yes - no doubts though!'"