BBC Sport director set to stand down

The first female director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater, is preparing to retire after four decades with the corporation. 

Slater has been director for 14 years in which time she has increased the profile and interest of women’s sport and overseen growth in the division’s digital services.  

Her achievements include bringing the FA Cup and cricket back to the BBC and leading the production of landmark sporting events including 14 Men’s and Women’s Football World Cups and European Championships, and seven summer and winter Olympic Games. 

She has also secured crucial rights deals including Wimbledon up to 2027, the UEFA Men’s football European Championships in 2028, and the Olympics up to 2032. 

The former international gymnast and Olympian joined the BBC in 1983 as a trainee assistant producer in the Natural History Unit before moving into BBC Sport where she specialised in outside broadcasts. Before taking the top job in 2009, she held roles including head of production and head of general sports.  

In 2021, Slater called for women’s sports to be added to the listed events regime, which protects them from being shown exclusively on pay-TV. The FIFA Women’s World Cup and the UEFA Women’s European Championships were added to the list the following year. 

Slater, who will retire in the spring, said her BBC career has been “an absolute passion, never just a job”. 

In a statement, she pinpointed moments including being in the director’s chair for Pete Sampras’ seventh Wimbledon triumph and leading the sport teams covering the London Olympics in 2012, for which she won the Women in TV and film Inspirational Women prize.  

“I also hope that in showcasing the brilliance of women’s sport the BBC has played its part in changing attitudes, increasing its profile and inspiring the next generation,” she added.  

Director general Tim Davie said: “Barbara has had an extraordinary career at the BBC - a pioneer, innovator and outstanding leader - she has kept the BBC at the forefront of sport for a generation. I wish her well. She will leave the BBC with a tremendous legacy.”  

Chief content officer Charlotte Moore praised her “unrelenting” commitment to raise the profile of women’s sport, saying: “She is a much-respected leader, a real trailblazer for women in the industry who can proudly say she has inspired the next generation.”

This article was originally published on our sister site Broadcast.