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BBC NI Director Peter Johnston stepping down after 17 years

BBC Peter JohnstonBBC
Peter Johnston is taking up a new role as director of the BBC's editorial complaints and reviews.

The Director of BBC Northern Ireland Peter Johnston is to step down after 17 years.

Mr Johnston is taking up a new role as director of the BBC's editorial complaints and reviews.

He temporarily left BBC Northern Ireland in December 2021.

At that time Mr Johnston was appointed by the corporation to lead its impartiality plan, with Adam Smyth made interim director of BBC Northern Ireland since then.

But Mr Johnston is now leaving BBC Northern Ireland permanently for his new role.

As a result, the corporation will now seek to recruit a permanent director of BBC Northern Ireland.

The BBC's director of Nations, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said Mr Johnston had done "extraordinary work over so many years in Northern Ireland".

He also paid tribute to Mr Johnston's "editorial judgement and his passion for broadcasting".