BBC3 controller Danny Cohen dismisses talk of move to BBC1

The BBC3 controller, Danny Cohen, has dismissed as "rumour" suggestions that he was on the verge of succeeding Jay Hunt as controller of BBC1. Cohen said it was not true that he was about to switch channels, with speculation building that the incumbent BBC1 controller is considering a switch to Channel 4 as its chief creative officer. Asked by Richard Bacon at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival today if he was going to BBC1, Cohen said: "It's not true, no. I am controller of BBC3 and I am very proud to be controller of BBC3. I enjoy it a great deal and honestly there is nothing more to say. Everything else is rumour." Cohen said BBC3's budget had been cut by around 12% two years ago but added that it faced "no more serious cuts at the moment". He also said he wished the channel, which currently does not go on air until 7pm, was also broadcast during daytime. He said negotiations about extending its broadcasting hours had taken place with the BBC Trust and would do so again in the future. "It was set up like that [broadcasting from 7pm] and it is taking rather a long time to change it," added Cohen. "We are still chatting about it with the trust over a number of life cycles. "7pm is the hardest [part of the schedule]. It's a completely slow start, a standing start." Cohen said he would put more programming on for teenagers between 4pm and 7pm if he got extra transmission hours. He also revealed a new drama commission – Touch, by Jack Thorne, which he described as a "supernatural zombie drama about a geeky teenager who discovers he can see zombies and only he can save the world". • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".