Former head of Channel 4 hopes next director-general can ‘make the BBC great’

The former head of Channel 4 has said she hopes the next director-general can “make the BBC great” and spoke of her love for the organisation after being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Alex Mahon, 52, who was honoured for services to broadcasting and diversity at St James’s Palace on Thursday, was the first woman to serve as chief executive officer for Channel 4, a position she held between 2017 and 2025.

Reports earlier this week suggested she had been considered a candidate to become BBC director-general but had decided not to proceed.

Asked whether she would consider using her experience to take on the top job at the BBC, she said: “This is a question that people ask me, I think the BBC is spectacular and an incredible and a very important organisation at this time, perhaps more than ever, but unfortunately I’m in another job that I only started a few months ago.

“Were I to be floated, and were I to be asked to do it… but unfortunately that’s the situation we’re in, but I really hope that we get someone who can make the BBC great because it’s a fabulous organisation.”

The former broadcast chief said she was “humbled and proud” to receive her CBE and had spoken to the Princess Royal about her work with the Paralympics.

“We actually talked particularly about the Paralympics and about the success that Britain and Channel Four has had with the Paralympics, and how disability is viewed so much more positively here as a kind of result of that compared to other countries,” said Dr Mahon.

Charlotte Moore, former head of content at the BBC, also received an OBE for services to public service broadcasting at the ceremony on Thursday morning, but did not wish to speak to the media.