Controller of BBC News 24 Moves To RTÉ News And Current Affairs
Kevin Bakhurst has become the new Managing Director of RTÉ News. This comes four months after the retirement of Ed Mulhall from the role in April, 2012. RTÉ's editorial process had been under scrutiny after a Prime Time Investigates programme made untrue allegations against Fr Kevin Reynolds. Mr Bakhurst is due to takeover the role in September.
Kevin Bakhurst has been the controller of BBC News 24 since December 2005. From 2003 TO 2005 he was Editor of BBC Ten O'clock News. During his time in the BBC Newsroom he worked on a number of major news stories including the 9/11 attacks in New York in 2001, the Inauguration of President Obama in 2008, US presidential elections, the Paris Concorde Crash and the 1997 Hong Kong hand over.
He is also part of the BBC's London 2012 Olympics management team and on the BBC's Director General's leadership group.
Mr. Bakhurst is a native of Barnet in North London. He attend Haberdashers' Aske's in Elstreet (a private secondary school for boys), from there he attended St. John's College, Cambridge where he studied Modern Languages.
RTÉ Director General, Noel Curran, said: "This was a position that attracted an exceptionally strong field of national and international candidates, which is a testament to the reputation of RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Kevin has huge and varied experience, a proven track record and key leadership skills. He also has a keen sense of how News delivery is changing across all media. I very much look forward to working closely with him in his new role and as a member of the RTÉ Executive Board."
Kevin Bakhurst said: "It's an amazing opportunity to lead such a formidable team at RTÉ News and Current Affairs who rightly have a national and worldwide reputation for their journalism. This is one of the very few jobs that I would have considered leaving BBC News to do. I have had a tremendous time at BBC News and would like to thank my colleagues and teams there - in particular on the BBC News Channel - for their terrific work, commitment and support."