BBC’s PR head honcho flies off to Twitter

Sam Hodges, who is leaving the BBC to join Twitter UK’s communications team, was given the job of publicising the launch of Strictly Come Dancing. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PA

A bunch of bananas to BBC TV PR supremo Sam Hodges who is leaving the corporation to join Twitter’s UK communications team. King of the overnights, Hodges has seen the corporation through some tough times, including the departure of former director general George Entwistle and the Jimmy Savile scandal. Not to mention the launch of Strictly Come Dancing. An email sent to staff from communications boss John Shield said Sam, who has also worked at ITV and Channel 4, has delivered, “some truly outstanding comms under often testing circumstances. While we will all miss his expertise and insight, we will also miss his consistent good humour and can do approach.” Hodges leaves in July – the Beeb’s ratings tweets will not be the same again.