Evan Davis replaces Eddie Mair as host of Radio 4's PM

When Eddie Mair created a vacancy at Radio 4 by quitting the PM programme, it seemed a perfect opportunity for the BBC to close its gender pay gap: a flagship show on a station with no shortage of capable women.

But the corporation has announced that the job is going to Evan Davis, who will transfer from his £250,000-a-year role as the host of Newsnight.

The BBC declined to say if any women had been interviewed for the job. But a number of women are said to have registered an interest only to receive a generic reply thanking them for their enquiry, with no follow-up.

“Loads of women expressed an interest but heard nothing back. They were not offered interviews,” a source at Broadcasting House said. Another said: “Evan is great but you could so easily correct the gender imbalance by giving a job like this to a woman. This will cause an upset.”

Since Mair’s departure, a succession of presenters have temporarily occupied the presenter’s chair at PM, including Sarah Smith and Carolyn Quinn. It is not known if they applied for the full-time position.

Davis, a former economics editor, spent six years on the Today programme before moving to Newsnight in 2014. He said of his new role: “Having survived several years of people saying, ‘You’re not as good as Jeremy Paxman’, I now look forward to people saying, ‘You’re not as good as Eddie Mair’.

“I would have loved to stay longer at Newsnight and will miss the team, who have been fantastic, but PM is presenter heaven and jobs like this don’t come along very often, and you have to grab them when you can.” He joins the programme in the autumn.

Gwyneth Williams, controller of Radio 4, said: “PM has a special place in the lives of Radio 4 listeners and eachweek millions tune in to its unique blend of news and current affairs.

“I am sure that this discriminating audience will be delighted that Evan will be bringing his experience, intelligence and wit back to Radio 4’s daily news programmes as he takes the helm at PM.

“Personally, I very much welcome his returning voice as, day by day, Radio 4 tries to reflect a fast-changing world for our listeners.”

His departure leaves Emily Maitlis and Kirsty Wark as presenters of Newsnight.

BBC sources pointed out that Radio 4’s other flagship news programmes are presented by women, including Ritula Shah on World Tonight and Sarah Montague on World at One. Montague moved from the Today programme after being left “incandescent with rage” over the discovery that she was paid a fraction of the salary awarded to her male colleagues.

Davis’s appointment piles more pressure on the BBC to give the plum job of Question Time host to a woman. Kirsty Wark and Samira Ahmed have publicly thrown their hats into the ring.

The internal application process closes soon and the BBC’s head of news, Fran Unsworth, sent an email to staff appealing for more applicants.

“We are looking for someone who is a highly respected journalist and presenter, a recognisable figure of authority who has a deep and broad knowledge of UK and international news and current affairs,” Unsworth wrote.

The job description stipulates that the successful applicant will be “able to work with high profile guests while maintaining a very professional, cam and credible approach… Strong interpersonal skills and natural warmth will enable you to guide the programme through often heated debates.”