Howell settles scores
ITV executive Rupert Howell couldn't help but fire a few shots about last month's sudden departure of Dawn Airey at a Channel Five-laden Royal Television Society dinner in London last night. He quipped that Five, where Airey is to become chief executive, should be ready for her "legendary expense account", adding for good measure that her extended gardening leave would "help ITV's progress for at least a year". Just to make it a gagtastic hat trick, Howell said he had heard that Airey was in for a "seven-figure bonus if she stays [at Five] for more than a month", referring to her short tenure at ITV. Not bitter then Rupert, eh?
All offers entertained
Channel Five's former managing director of content, Lisa Opie, who left in the wake of Dawn Airey's appointment last month, was presented a fellowship from former colleague and Five chief executive Jane Lighting, who hosted the evening - and, er... also quit last month after Five owner RTL gave her job to Airey. An upbeat Opie couldn't help but express her delight in receiving the award in front of her esteemed "prospective employers"... er, shouldn't that be colleagues and peers, Lisa?
