Sir Peter Bazalgette to be ITV chairman as Archie Norman steps down
Sir Peter Bazalgette is to become non-executive chairman of ITV, taking over from Archie Norman after six years in the role.
Bazalgette, who as the head of Endemol was famously the man who brought Big Brother to the UK, will pick up the reins at ITV's AGM on 12 May. He has been a non-executive director since June 2013 and is also chair of Arts Council England, as well as president of the Royal Television Society.
Andy Haste, ITV's senior independent non-executive director, said: "We went through an extensive and rigorous process to ensure that we found the best possible candidate to become the next chairman of ITV. Out of a strong field of candidates, it was very clear to us that Peter is the right person to take on the role and we're delighted that he has accepted."
ITV chief executive Adam Crozier added: "It's been great to have had Archie as part of the team over the last six years as we transformed the company into the international media business it is today. ITV is now clearly in a much stronger position creatively, commercially and financially than when we started out and we're in great shape to take on the many opportunities and challenges ahead.
"I'm really pleased that Peter, with his huge wealth of experience in television and the wider creative industries, will be with us as chairman as we continue to grow and strengthen the business in the UK and internationally."
Bazalgetter said: "As I have seen for myself over the last few years, ITV has gone through a remarkable resurgence during Archie's chairmanship and there is still so much more that we can achieve.
"This is an incredibly exciting time for everyone in the media sector with change happening at an unprecedented rate, and I'm absolutely delighted to be working with Adam and the management team. TV is my first love."