GREG Dyke will remain as Chancellor of the University of York - regardless of whether a consortium which could see him take control of ITV is successful.

A university spokesman today confirmed that Mr Dyke's honorary position as its ceremonial head would remain unchanged, as the former director general of the BBC continues to bid to take over ITV.

Mr Dyke, a University of York graduate, is leading a private equity consortium in a bid to win over investors in Britain's biggest commercial broadcaster.

A proposal to inject £1.3 billion into the company in return for a 48 per cent stake, while increasing ITV's debt and returning billions to shareholders, was rejected by the broadcaster's board, led by Sir Peter Burt.

Newspaper reports have claimed Mr Dyke would become the company's chief executive, in place of Charles Allen, if a revived bid was successful.

Mr Dyke, who is also a patron of Hob Moor Oaks School, was appointed Chancellor in August 2004, taking over from Dame Janet Baker, who held the post for thirteen years.

He graduated with a politics degree from the university in 1974, and was awarded an honorary degree in 1999. He left his post as director general of the BBC in January 2004 in the aftermath of the Hutton Inquiry.

In a speech after his first official university duty, opening a new learning centre, in September 2004, Mr Dyke claimed he was fired, and had not resigned as had been widely reported.

ITV1 has been suffering amid greater competition from digital rivals in the television market. If he gained control, it is said Mr Dyke wants to invest in more ratings-boosting programmes.

Figures have suggested that BBC1, which Mr Dyke is credited with reinvigorating, is now the nation's most- watched TV channel.

The consortium, which involves Apax Partners, Blackstone and Goldman Sachs, is said to be working on a new offer for ITV, which could be submitted this week.

A University of York spokesman said: "Greg Dyke's position at the university is an honorary one and it will remain unchanged."

Updated: 10:17 Tuesday, March 28, 2006