Roly Keating told reporters on Friday that he was "daunted, excited and genuinely honoured" at becoming BBC 2 controller. As predicted in the Daily last week, Keating was officially named as the new boss of the BBC channel on Friday. And with the BBC Charter currently under review, Keating said all the right things on his appointment - there'll be less importance placed on ratings winners, and more on unforgettable drama, documentary and comedy.
On recent BBC 2 rating hits like the Big Read and Restoration, Keating said: "You should never abandon [those kinds of programmes], but I have no plans for an immediate follow-up."
While the former BBC 4 boss is sure to programme lots of arts and culture on the channel, Keating was keen to stress shows like Gardener's World and Top Gear were safe: "They have completely earned their place in the identity of the channel. BBC2 is absolutely the place for great popular leisure and lifestyle programming and it has always been in the DNA of the channel. The schedule at the moment is a very healthy mix."