Iain MacDonald “sacked” from BBC Scotland

One of BBC Radio Scotland’s veteran broadcasters Iain MacDonald is being let go by the corporation after 34 years.

Mr MacDonald told the Herald: “Just as the BBC was announcing it had appointed a man one year younger than me (Tony Hall) to be Director General, at £450,000 a year, I got a phone call from Glasgow to say I was being sacked.

“I have to go down to Glasgow next week when I will be told why I am losing my job. I think I will keep my powder dry until then, but I will be appealing.”

A BBC spokesman said then: “It is true some have been through our ‘selection for retention process’ and have been unsuccessful. However, that doesn’t mean they are to be sacked. They will go into a redeployment pool to see if there are other suitable posts available.”

Bill Whiteford, the long-established presenter and ex-editor of the afternoon current affairs Newsdrive programme on Radio Scotland has also been told he is part of the cost-cutting at the BBC in the country.