Mark Price, the chief executive of Waitrose, is being lined up to take on the role of caretaker chairman of Channel 4 following the departure of Lord Burns at the end of this January.
Channel 4 and Ofcom have held discussions about Price, who has been the broadcaster’s deputy chairman for the last two years, and his appointment in a temporary capacity is in line with standard industry practice.
When Lord Patten stood down as chairman of the BBC Trust, his deputy, Diane Coyle, filled the role for an interim period until Rona Fairhead was named as successor.
The discussions with Price, who was appointed to Channel 4’s board in 2010, are understood to be purely as a backstop measure if the recruitment process takes longer than anticipated. The deadline for applicants closes next month and Ofcom has made it clear it intends to appoint a successor to Burns before his tenure runs out at the end of January.
Price is also the deputy chairman of John Lewis Partnership as well as Waitrose’s managing director, making it unlikely he would have the capacity to consider taking the job full time.
The news that Price was being considered an interim chair of Channel 4 was first reported by Sky News.
Ofcom had recommended that Burns stay on for about a year beyond the end of his second term in the post, which is scheduled to expire on 27 January. But this idea was rejected by ministers who are considering a £1bn privatisation of the the state-owned broadcaster.
Last month, a confidential document was photographed that outlined plans for a potential sell-off.
Burns had put together plans examining the possibility of turning Channel 4 into a mutual, keeping its public service broadcaster remit.
Channel 4 and Ofcom declined to comment.
