The BBC has compiled an all-female shortlist for the £290,000 a year role of political editor, reports say.
- Sophy Ridge, Anushka Asthana, Pippa Crerar or Alex Forsyth are in the running
- Ridge, from Sky News, and Asthana, from ITV, are thought to be the frontrunners
- Bosses will meet four leading candidates for a second round of interviews Friday
- The will reveal winner by end of next month after Laura Kuenssberg steps down
The Corporation is believed to want Sophy Ridge, Anushka Asthana, Pippa Crerar or Alex Forsyth to replace Laura Kuenssberg.
Ridge, from Sky News, and Asthana, from ITV, are thought to be the frontrunners for one of the most gruelling jobs in journalism.
Bosses will meet the four leading candidates for a second round of interviews on Friday before announcing the winner by the end of next month.
Oxford-educated Ridge, 38, is a former News of the World reporter who now presents her eponymous Sunday morning politics show on Sky News.
Asthana, 41, is the Guardian’s editor-at-large and also co-presents Peston with Robert Peston on Wednesday nights.
BBC political correspondent Forsyth, who has forged a career finding politics stories away from Westminster, is the only applicant from inside the Corporation.
Meanwhile Crerar, 46, who is political editor of the Daily Mirror, is the only contender not from a broadcast background.
But she has grown in popularity over the last year after digging out stories on Downing Street parties during the pandemic.
Of the four, the Times reports that Ridge and Asthana were the favourites to take the helm.
But Labrokes has Forsyth as favourite at 6/4, Asthana second at 5/2, Crerar 7/2 and Ridge 4/1.
The BBC’s political editor is widely seen as one of the hardest jobs in the industry, with the journalist constantly accused of being left or right wing.
Asthana and Crerar’s background at left-wing newspapers may make their hiring controversial for some.
In January, BBC recruitment staff extended the deadline for applications for the job by three weeks. Initially it was set for January 20, but it then became February 10.
A BBC source said: ‘There has been much exodus of talent at the Beeb recently, and this is an opportunity to reverse it with a really highly regarded appointment.’
The BBC’s former North America editor Jon Sopel had been considered the frontrunner, but he quit last month to join the commercial broadcaster Global.
Ms Kuenssberg’s deputy Vicki Young pulled out of the race in January, reportedly because her husband is ill.
BBC bosses are said to have wanted to ensure Ms Kuenssberg’s replacement arrives with no political bias after a controversy over the appointment of Jess Brammar.
The news executive was blasted for tweeting numerous comments critical of Brexit and Government policies.
Julian Knight MP, the Tory chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, told the Telegraph: ‘They are clearly four very capable people – and that is what counts at the end of the day.
‘Whoever is going to be given this landmark position in the BBC needs to keep impartiality at the centre of what they do.
‘Because let’s be frank about it – the BBC, despite the work of the director-general, still has a long way to go in terms of impartiality.’
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: ‘Latest rumours suggest BBC chiefs have whittled Lauran Kuenssberg’s replacement down to just a handful of names, and having attracted plenty of interest from punters over the past few weeks, Alex Forsyth continues to lead the way ahead of Anushka Asthana – that being said, the latest odds suggest the race for the role is far from over.’
A BBC spokesman said: ‘We don’t comment on ongoing recruitment processes.’