BBC promises greater diversity on air as it announces series of new measures

“The BBC gets much right on diversity, but the simple fact is that we need to do more. I am not content for the BBC to be merely good or above average,” said director general Tony Hall.

“I want a new talent-led approach that will help set the pace in the media industry. I believe in this and want our record to be beyond reproach.”

The talent leading the push include actor and comedian Lenny Henry, paralympic athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, broadcaster Lady Benjamin and footballer Jason Roberts.

Hall continued: “[It] won’t be achieved overnight, but the package of measures I’ve put in place, alongside the support we’ll get from leading experts, will make a tangible difference. We will review progress regularly, and if we need to expand our approach even more, then we will.”

The diversity fund will be available to BAME writers, talent and production staff from 1 September this year.

The BBC has set a target of having 14.2 per cent of all BBC staff from BAME backgrounds by 2017, with 10 per cent of those in “leadership” roles.

It has also vowed to increase BAME staff in senior pay grades in the most relevant areas of TV and radio production, broadcast journalism, commissioning and scheduling from the current 8.3 per cent to 10 per cent by 2017 and 15 per cent by 2020.

It comes just weeks after veteran BBC journalist Kurt Barling, who was made redundant by the organisation after almost 25-years, claimed that the organisation “doesn’t respect” its black members of staff.