Margaret Hodge emerges as favourite to become next Ofcom chair; margaret hodge in running

Labour peer margaret hodge is among the candidates who were interviewed last week to become the next chair of the UK media regulator Ofcom, a development that matters as the regulator prepares for a leadership change ahead of its April term end. The shortlist stage has placed the appointment at the centre of debate over how quickly Ofcom will implement the Online Safety Act and begin a major telecoms review.

Margaret Hodge shortlisted; margaret hodge favourite

Recent coverage has identified Baroness Margaret Hodge as a leading candidate for the post. The detail that she was interviewed last week was attributed to two people familiar with the appointment process who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to speak on the record. Hodge is a veteran Labour politician who served as the MP for Barking until 2024 and has publicly supported tougher social media regulation; she has also spoken about her experience of online abuse.

Interview panel to hand shortlist to secretary

The interview panel, made up of civil servants and independent members, will hand an approved shortlist to the Technology Secretary. The department leading the recruitment hopes to announce a replacement before the current chair’s term ends in April 2026. A departmental spokesperson said they were unable to comment on the recruitment process, and the candidate named did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other candidates on the shortlist

The shortlist is understood to include former senior figures from across the political and media spectrum. One candidate named has been involved in drafting the Online Safety Act and has criticised Ofcom’s implementation of that law. Coverage has also placed a former Channel 4 chair on the list. The presence of candidates with differing views on the regulator’s role frames the appointment as a test of how Ofcom will balance implementation priorities and industry oversight.

Timing, pay and regulator duties

The chair role carries an annual salary of £120, 000 and comes at a critical moment: Ofcom is responsible for implementing the Online Safety Act and also regulates television and radio while preparing a major review of the telecoms sector amid developments in artificial intelligence and satellite technology. If the new chair is appointed before the term end in April 2026, that person will take on those priorities immediately; if the process slips, implementation and the telecoms review could face delayed leadership guidance.

• Shortlist stage advanced after interviews held last week, the detail attributed to two anonymous officials.
• Role pays £120, 000 a year and will involve implementing the Online Safety Act and a telecoms review.
• The department leading recruitment hopes to name a replacement before the current chair’s term ends in April 2026.

Forward look: the immediate observable milestones are the panel delivering its shortlist to the Technology Secretary and any formal announcement ahead of April. If the shortlist is confirmed and a chair is appointed before the term end, the regulator will have new leadership in place as it proceeds with OSA implementation and the telecoms review; if the appointment is delayed, those programmes will continue under interim arrangements and may face slower decision timelines.