Tony Ball wants to be a multi-millionaire. Again. The conclusion to the ITV succession “race” is as drawn-out as the final stages of its flagship quiz show. But even if Mr Ball is the broadcaster’s final answer, this could still prove to be one of those rare contests from which nobody emerges as a winner.

Mr Ball, choice of the board and some institutional investors, is in talks over a compensation package worth as much as £20m over five years, subject to fulfilment of certain unspecified performance targets. Irrespective of what he asked for originally, this would be an absurdly large reward for piloting a medium-sized company back to health. Stephen Hester, chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland – a job laden with political, commercial and systemic responsibilities – was pilloried for accepting a package worth less than half as much. Whatever Mr Ball achieves, most of ITV’s mass-market audience would view an eight-figure pay package as a scandal, which is hardly likely to enhance his reputation.