Francesca Unsworth

Roles and responsibilities

• Fran oversees the BBC’s News and Current Affairs programming.
• BBC News is the largest broadcast news operation in the world providing trusted news and analysis to audiences in the UK and internationally.
• BBC news reached three quarters of adults in the UK each week across television, radio and online in 2016./17.
• The division's workforce produces output across Network News and the World Service Group.

Term of Board appointment: 1 April 2021 - 27 Jan 2022

Fran Unsworth was re-appointed to the Board as an Executive director for a further two years from 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2023. She left the BBC on 27 Jan 2022.

Biography

Last updated March 2018

Francesca Unsworth became Director, News and Current Affairs in January 2018.

She was previously Director, BBC World Service Group, a post to which she was appointed in December 2014.

In this role she led the BBC's global news services - BBC World Service, BBC World News and BBC.com - as well as BBC Monitoring, and she chaired the BBC's international development charity, BBC Media Action. The BBC's global news services have a weekly audience of 346m. In this role, Fran was also deputy to the Director of News and Current Affairs.

Fran began her journalistic career in 1980 in BBC Local Radio, joining Radio 1's Newsbeat. She spent some time as a network radio producer in Washington DC, and later joined Radio 4's The World At One and PM.

Fran was appointed the BBC's Home News Editor and then, in 2001, Head of Political Programmes. In 2005 she became Head of Newsgathering, running one of the world's largest newsgathering operations with bureaux across the world.

Between November 2012 and August 2013 Fran was the BBC's Acting Director of News and Current Affairs. Prior to her appointment to the World Service Group, she was Deputy Director of BBC News and Current Affairs.

Annual remuneration (as at July 2022)

• £340,000-£344,999

Expenses and central bookings

Expenses are costs incurred by BBC staff on behalf of the BBC and claimed through the BBC's expenses system.

Central bookings are costs incurred on behalf of the BBC and booked through the BBC's central bookings system. Both expenses and central bookings are published every three months.

Downloads

• Francesca Unsworth’s expenses Q4 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no central bookings in Q4 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth’s expenses Q3 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q3 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q2 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q2 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q1 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q1 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q4 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no central bookings in Q4 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q3 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no central bookings in Q3 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q2 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q2 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q1 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no central bookings in Q1 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth’s expenses Q4 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q4 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q3 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q3 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth’s expenses Q2 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q2 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q1 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth’s central bookings Q1 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q1 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth had no expenses paid in Q4 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2010-11 
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q4 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q4 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q3 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q3 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q2 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q2 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's expenses Q1 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's central bookings Q1 2009-10

Gifts and Hospitality Register

Gifts and hospitality may only be accepted in line with BBC policy. Information about gifts and hospitality is published every three months.

Downloads

• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2021-22
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2020-21
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth’s Gifts and Hospitality Register Q1 2019-20
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in 2018-19
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2017-18
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2016-17
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2015-16
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2014-15
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2013-14
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2012-13
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q3 2011-12 
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2011-12
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2010-11
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q2 2009-10
• Francesca Unsworth had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2009-10

Declaration of personal interests

Staff must make a declaration of their personal and business interests, including any memberships or directorships of public or industry bodies, and any shareholdings, as well as any interests that their immediate families may also have.

A summary is published where there is something to declare and where there is nothing to declare. Occasionally an individual will have something to declare but due to the personal nature of the declaration we do not publish details as to do so would breach the General Data Protection Regulation.

This information is published annually, although if any amendments are made during the year an updated summary will be published if necessary as soon as it is available.

Downloads

• Francesca Unsworth's Declaration of Personal Interests