Hayley Valentine named as new director of BBC Scotland

Hayley Valentine was the launch editor for BBC Scotland's The Nine in 2019

Hayley Valentine has been appointed director of BBC Scotland, the corporation has announced.

The current head of BBC Midlands will replace Steve Carson, who will take up a senior role in Dublin with the Irish public service broadcaster, RTÉ.

Ms Valentine was the launch editor of BBC Scotland's The Nine in 2019 and is a former head of the BBC radio newsroom.

She has also held a number of senior roles including head of news at Radio 5 Live and executive producer of BBC Question Time.

BBC director general Tim Davie said: "I know Hayley is determined to build on BBC Scotland’s editorial success – working with talented journalists and content-makers across the country, inside and outside the BBC.

"Her depth of experience speaks for itself, and her creative ambition and commitment to public service broadcasting are obvious to everybody who works with her."

Ms Valentine worked as a journalist at DC Thomson and Radio Forth before joining the BBC in 1996.

The University of Edinburgh graduate is currently based in Birmingham but will begin her new role in Glasgow on 11 November.

Ms Valentine said she was "thrilled" to have been asked to lead BBC Scotland.

She added: "There is a wealth of first-class creative talent in Scotland within the BBC and across the wider sector.

"I am looking forward to working with them all to create the highest quality content for our audiences in Scotland, and to represent Scotland to audiences across the UK and beyond."