The BBC's debating show, Question Time, has a new editor, ahead of a switch in its production from London to Glasgow.
Nicolai Gentchev moves from the Corporation's Radio 4 to take over the post vacated last month by Ed Harvard, who decided he didn't want to move to Glasgow when the programme's production re-locates there at the end of summer.
A new executive producer has also been appointed – 5 live's former head of news, Hayley Valentine – the previous one remaining in London to oversee his other production responsibilities, Question Time having been one of a number.
In a statement issued by the BBC, director of news, Helen Boaden, is quoted, as saying:”Question Time has an outstanding new team to lead it. Nicolai and Hayley have a great depth of experience in the political institutions across the UK. They will ensure that one of the BBC's most important programmes goes from strength to strength.”
Nicolai, who became a senior producer on Radio 4's Today, three years ago, is presently on secondment as editor of BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland. He previously worked at Bloomberg News for six years, where he started as a producer, going on to be a radio reporter, then presenter and editor.
He joined the BBC five years ago and became an output editor on Today. A graduate of Glasgow University, he came to Pacific Quay last year to lead Good Morning Scotland through the General Election. He is expected to take up his new post in May.
Hayley is the former head of news at 5 live, leading the network's coverage of the General Election, the Cumbria shootings and the World Cup in South Africa. Before that, she edited a wide variety of BBC news programmes, most recently the Victoria Derbyshire programme.
She has previously worked at both BBC Scotland and STV, as well as commercial radio in Edinburgh. She started her journalism career in newspapers in Dundee after studying English literature at Edinburgh University.
In the statement, BBC Scotland's head of news, Atholl Duncan, is also quoted, saying: “Hayley and Nicolai will add to the existing wealth of political and programme experience in the Question Time team and I'm delighted that we have appointed them.”
The programme is moving to Glasgow as part of BBC plans to spread its TV and radio production across the UK rather than have them concentrated in London.
