Ken MacQuarrie, the director of BBC Scotland, has been appointed as the new BBC Director of Nations and Regions

Mr MacQuarrie, director of BBC Scotland since 2004, has been appointed to the post with "responsibility for bringing together and enhancing the BBC’s offer to the nations and regions of the UK" and will sit on the BBC’s new Executive Committee.

The role was announced by the Director-General, Tony Hall in July 2016.

Mr MacQuarrie will take up the post with immediate effect and the process to appoint his successor at BBC Scotland has begun.

Tony Hall said: "I am delighted to appoint Kenny to this important post.

"Reflecting the nations and serving them well is vital for the BBC and a key part of the new Charter.

"There is no one better than Kenny to get this right.

"He is a supremely able leader and manager and is hugely respected, not just within the BBC, but outside as well. I know he’s the right person to give the Nations and Regions a strong voice across the BBC."

Mr MacQuarrie said: "I’m looking forward to beginning this new role. I know how much audiences value the BBC reflecting their own communities. From the Isles of Scilly to Shetland there are some great stories to be told.

"We want to represent and report all corners of the UK and everybody should feel that the BBC offers something for them. I’ll enjoy championing our excellent nations and regions teams at the top table."

Ken will be based outside of London and will travel extensively across the UK as part of the role.

He has been controller of BBC Scotland since April 2004 and head of programmes from 2000.

A native of Mull and a Gaelic speaker, he was educated at Oban, Edinburgh University and Moray House College of Education before joining BBC Scotland as a researcher in 1975.

He went on to work as a radio producer for BBC Highland before transferring to television in 1979, where he worked as a producer in Glasgow.

In 1992 he became both Head of Gaelic and Features and of Children's.

Four years later he was appointed Head of Broadcast and in 2000 became Head of Programmes.

Among the major projects he oversaw in that role are In Search Of Scotland, Chewin' The Fat, Still Game, Gruth Is Uachdar (Crowdie And Cream) and Scotland's Empire on television and, on Radio Scotland, Gracenotes and Off The Ball.