BBC Local has appointed its first investigations editor to lead the creation of investigative documentaries across TV, radio, BBC Sounds and the iPlayer.
Gail Champion will run the central investigations team based in Salford and Birmingham and work closely with new multimedia investigation teams based in each region.
BBC Local comprises all BBC local news and radio services and employs some 2,200 staff.
The latest changes at the BBC follow the closure of the regional investigative documentary strand Inside Out with the loss of 29 jobs in 2020.
Champion joins from the UK Insight team within BBC News where she has been managing a Leeds-based multi-platform team focused on under-served audiences.
She has previously worked on BBC radio’s File on 4 and on investigative podcasts for BBC Sounds. During her time working on long-form audio, Champion oversaw investigations into the Paradise Papers leak, sexual abuse in schools and the treatment of people with autism in long-stay hospitals.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog