Slater Gets BBC Head Of Sport Job

The BBC is to get its first ever female director of sport after it was announced that Barbara Slater is to replace Roger Mosey as the head of the corporation’s sport output.

Slater, who has held senior roles in the production teams covering many of the BBC’s biggest sports events, including Wimbledon and the Olympics, will also become the first director of sport based outside of London when the department moves to Salford in 2011.

Previous incumbent Mosey has been appointed BBC director of London 2012, overseeing the corporation’s preparations for coverage of the Olympics.

In her new role, Slater – who has also worked on the Open and Masters Golf, Commonwealth Games, Grand National, Ascot and the Derby – will oversee BBC Sport as it takes on next year’s winter Olympics and World Cup as well as its transition to a new base.

Slater, who competed in the 1976 Olympic games as a gymnast, began her career with the BBC in 1983 as a trainee assistant producer, joining the sports department the following year.

BBC Sport’s rights portfolio currently include the football World Cup, the Olympic Games, Premier League highlights, the Football League and Carling Cup, Six Nations Rugby, Wimbledon and the Open Golf.