Thompson braces to bolt from Beeb.(World News)(Mark Thompson)(Brief article)

Sources say BBC director general Mark Thompson, expected to leave his post at the end of the year or early 2013 at the latest, has told friends that he is "psychologically ready" to exit.

At the Oxford Media Conference on Wednesday, BBC chairman Chris Patten spoke publicly about his strategy for finding the BBC's next director general. He explained that he and Thompson, who ascended to the job in 2004, had agreed before Christmas to appoint headhunters, because he wanted the transition between Thompson and whoever is selected to take over to be as smooth as possible.

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He will leave the BBC in Rood health, after over seeing a hefty cost …