The UK's public appointments watchdog is to investigate the selection of BBC chairman Richard Sharp amid concerns over his role in helping Boris Johnson secure a loan.
William Shawcross, the commissioner for public appointments, said he is to review the way competition for the post was run to ensure it was in compliance with Whitehall rules.
Earlier Mr Sharp announced that he was referring his appointment to the nominations committee of the BBC board following claims of a possible conflict of interest.
In a letter to shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell, who raised the case with him, Mr Shawcross said he had called for relevant papers to be sent from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
"The role of the commissioner is to oversee the public appointments process and ensure appointments are made fairly, openly and on merit," he said.
"I intend to review this competition to assure myself and the public that the process was run in compliance with the Government's governance code for public appointments."
Mr Shawcross commissioned his investigation into the selection of BBC chairman Richard Sharp at the "behest" of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister's office said.
BBC panel to examine potential conflicts of interest
Seperately, Mr Sharp has asked for a scrutiny panel to examine potential conflicts of interest over his role in helping Boris Johnson secure a loan.
Mr Sharp, who was appointed BBC chairman while Mr Johnson was prime minister, was reportedly involved in arranging a guarantor on a loan of up to £800,000 for Mr Johnson in late 2020.
In a statement reported by the BBC, Mr Sharp acknowledged "distractions such as this are not welcome" and said he had asked the nominations committee of the BBC board to look at the matter.
"We have many challenges at the BBC and I know that distractions such as this are not welcome," he said.
"Our work at the BBC is rooted in trust. Although the appointment of the BBC chairman is solely a matter for the Government ... I want to ensure that all the appropriate guidelines have been followed within the BBC since I have joined.
"The nominations committee of the BBC board has responsibility for regularly reviewing board members' conflicts of interest."
The BBC reported that Mr Sharp "has agreed with the board's senior independent director that the committee shall look at this when it next meets and, in the interests of transparency, publish the conclusions".
