Alan Yentob has resigned as the
BBC's creative director in the wake of controversy over his role as
chairman of the Kids Company charity.
Mr Yentob has faced scrutiny for his role in its financial mismanagement and faced claims that he tried to influence BBC coverage of the charity's demise.
He said the speculation was "proving a serious distraction" when the BBC was in "particularly challenging times".
He will continue to make and present programmes including arts show Imagine.
Kids Company, run by Camila Batmanghelidjh and Mr Yentob, collapsed in August amid claims of financial mismanagement - something its former bosses deny.
Mr Yentob phoned the BBC Two's Newsnight in July, as the programme prepared to broadcast a report into the charity's government funding.
He has insisted there was no conflict of interest in his decision to call the programme and has previously said that he had not "abused my position at the BBC".
In a statement on Thursday, Mr Yentob said: "The BBC is going through particularly challenging times and I have come to believe that the speculation about Kids Company and the media coverage revolving around my role is proving a serious distraction.
"So I have spoken to [BBC director general] Tony Hall and told him that I think it best that I step down from my senior management role as creative director at the end of this year and focus on programme-making and TV production - including of course the Imagine series.
"I love the BBC and will continue to do everything I can to ensure that it thrives and fulfils the great expectations we all have of it."
Alan Yentob
- Joined the BBC as a trainee in 1968.
- Has been controller of BBC One, BBC Two, director of programmes and director of television.
- Appointed creative director in 2004 to oversee the BBC's creative strategy.
- Has edited and presented arts documentary series Imagine since 2003.
- Earned £183,300 as creative director. He receives a separate fee for Imagine.
Mr Yentob's decision comes two days after BBC Trust Rona Fairhead told Radio 4's Today programme that the corporation's editorial standards committee were looking into his involvement in the BBC's coverage of the charity.
On Thursday, Tony Hall said BBC News had concluded that he did not influence its reporting of Kids Company.
The director general described Mr Yentob as "a towering figure in television, the arts, and a creative force for good for Britain".
Lord Hall said: "He has served the BBC with distinction in a number of different executive roles - all of which have been characterised by his energy, creativity and commitment to public service. He has an extraordinary roll-call of achievement.
"For the record, BBC News considered whether Alan Yentob had influenced the BBC's journalism on the reporting of Kids Company. They concluded that he did not. Despite that, I understand his reasons for stepping down as creative director.
"He has been thinking about this carefully for some time and we have discussed it privately on a number of occasions.
"I am pleased that Alan will be continuing his brilliant work as a programme maker at the BBC in the future."
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