New BBC chairman Samir Shah says the corporation should not have to justify “our very existence” every 10 years and the government should have the confidence to say “the BBC is a very good thing “.

Mr Shah questioned why the BBC’s charter needed to be regularly reviewed – unlike other bodies set up under the Royal Charter, such as the Bank of England and the British Council – as he delivered his first public speech in his new functions.

He told an audience of leading media figures and policymakers on Tuesday that he questioned whether the BBC needed an “in-depth review of everything we do, including our very existence” every 10 years.

Mr Shah said: “In reality, it is possible that in January 2028 the BBC will cease to exist and the government will simply sell off its assets.

He added: “The Government should have the confidence to say that the BBC is a very good thing.

“And we should, of course, review him and measure his performance, but shouldn’t question his very existence and everything he does every few years. We don’t need to do this.

“We can maintain proper governance and oversight without resorting to this ten-year review. »

He also told the Leeds Conservatoire that he trusted those leading the review of corporate culture within the company following a series of high-profile scandals, saying staff who complaint should not be “left unresolved”.

He was asked about the BBC’s response to the Huw Edward affairs and the controversy surrounding Strictly Come Dancing.

He said he hoped the review led by Grahame Russell would produce practical results rather than just a policy change.

He said: “We really need to take steps that we can take quickly, to really demonstrate to staff that we really care about this, that we’re going to do something about it and we’re going to act quickly. »

He said there was a feeling that people who made complaints “are being left hanging” while HR and legal processes play out and that “we need to find a way to keep people informed”.

The corporation’s chairman told the audience that the BBC needed to “make people think ‘oh yes, this is taken seriously, they will act on it’.”

“I want action rather than yet another little proposal.”

He said he had confidence in Mr Russell and that “unacceptable behavior should be stamped out”, adding: “I go back a long way and we really have done a lot.

“Forty years ago, it was terrible. It’s still not great in many places. I don’t want to downplay it, but when you talk to people, they love working for the BBC.

“They have not lost confidence in the BBC. What we need to do is when we find people who have crossed the line, they believe that we are going to eradicate it. »