A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) staff spent a collosal £2m on travel expenses. The figures, obtained by the Telegraph showed the breakdown consisted of 24,000 train journeys and at least 500 flights between the BBC's west and central London studios and the North West, where its new media centre is based.

Mark Thompson, BBC Director-General, has announced his imminent departure to staff of the corporation through an open-letter. He intimated he had discussed his decision to leave in the autumn with Lord Patten, BBC Chairman. He wrote: "This morning I told Lord Patten that I believe that an appropriate time for me to hand over to a successor and to step down as Director-General of the BBC would be the autumn of this year, once the Olympics and the rest of the amazing summer of 2012 are over.