BBC bosses have performed a “humiliating” U-turn and handed a senior news anchor his job back.
Stunned colleagues called for industrial action after high profile Good Morning Scotland presenter Gary Robertson was axed as part of a raft of swingeing cuts in May.
But we can reveal there has been a climbdown, with the award winning broadcaster now being offered a fresh contract, which will see him resume work at the corporation’s Scottish HQ in Glasgow.
Last night one senior BBC Scotland source described the move as “utterly humiliating and a complete shambles”.
“Everyone is pleased common sense has prevailed and Gary has been given a contract,” the highly placed insider said. “But it is very humiliating for the corporation and underlines what an utter shambles things are at the moment.”
Mr Robertson’s re-hiring follows talks between his lawyers, union officials and BBC management. It’s understood he signed the new “on air” contract last week.
The year long deal will keep him at the BBC until August 2015. Plans are afoot to negotiate a permanent contract when that runs out.
Our insider added: “We couldn’t believe it when Gary was sacked to bring in national broadcasters from London.
“But the management didn’t reckon on how popular Gary was in Scotland with listeners and colleagues.”
We exclusively revealed in June how the popular broadcaster had been “pushed aside” to make way “for big hitters from London”.
Despite working for the BBC for 24 years, 15 in Scotland, Mr Robertson was dropped to make way for Jim Naughtie and Sarah Smith.
Both were hired on six-figure salaries to head up BBC Scotland’s referendum coverage.
But dumping their radio news anchor prompted a threatened walk-out by disillusioned colleagues.
Insiders complained it was the latest of crippling cut backs to hit BBC Scotland.
And it came shortly after an internal BBC survey of fed-up staff told bosses they felt “grossly under-resourced” and bullied.
It is the latest gaff to hit the beleaguered BBC Scotland.
Its flagship programme Scotland 2014, has struggled and faltered badly with viewing figures plummeting as low as 24,000 some nights.
Problems continued for the BBC last week when it became caught up in a row over spending fortunes on external PR companies.
Last night a spokesman for BBC Scotland said: “We never discuss employee contracts.”
Mr Robertson was unavailable for comment.
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