Michael Grade has ‘kept his hat in the ring’ for role of Ofcom chair

Grade has criticised the BBC’s tone in its coverage of certain political events as ‘too aggressive’ and ‘gleeful and disrespectful’. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

Lord Michael Grade has admitted that he has “kept his hat in the ring” for the position of Ofcom chair, after having had “second thoughts” about applying.

“I became suspicious of the process, until I realised Sue Gray was back in charge of the appointment after her ‘partygate’ exertions,” the former head of the BBC, 78, said, in an interview in the Telegraph.