BBC chairman Richard Sharp has asked for a review into his appointment after claims he helped Boris Johnson secure a loan.

Mr Sharp said he wanted to ensure “all the appropriate guidelines have been followed” and has asked the nominations committee of the BBC board to review any potential conflicts of interest.

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“We have many challenges at the BBC and I know that distractions such as this are not welcome,” he said in a statement read out on BBC News.

The Sunday Times reported Mr Sharp was involved in arranging a guarantor on a loan of up to £800,000 for Mr Johnson in late 2020, and that the then-prime minister went on to recommend him for the top job at the BBC.

A spokesperson for Mr Johnson called the claims “rubbish” while both sides denied a conflict of interest.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, the former prime minister insisted claims Mr Sharp was involved in his finances are “complete nonsense”.

He said: “This is a load of complete nonsense – absolute nonsense.

“Let me just tell you, Richard Sharp is a great and wise man but he knows absolutely nothing about my personal finances – I can tell you that for 100% ding dang sure.”

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”.

It comes after Labour called for an independent investigation into the process for appointing the chair of the BBC.

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