Jamie Purdon named Q interim executive producer after Ghomeshi firing

Former CBC director of news Jamie Purdon has been named as the interim executive producer of the CBC Radio show Q in the wake of the scandal involving Jian Ghomeshi.

Purdon replaces former executive producer Arif Noorani, who has been on a leave of absence. Noorani, who the CBC said asked to be reassigned, is set to return to work at the CBC next Monday. He will retain the title of executive producer and work on various projects with CBC Radio, including the development of a new show, CBC said this week.

Purdon was a former director of news gathering for CBC and was also the executive producer of As It Happens and The Current.

Purdon takes over following the firing of Ghomeshi, the former Q host. The CBC has said it severed its relationship with Ghomeshi after senior management viewed "graphic evidence" that Ghomeshi "had caused physical injury to a woman."

Since then, other women have alleged he was physically violent to them without their consent. 

Ghomeshi has previously said he only participates in sexual activities that are consensual for both partners. He has denied wrongdoing and says he will "meet these allegations directly."

A former Q staffer also alleged that Ghomeshi made lewd comments on two occasions on a single day in 2007. On another occasion, he groped her, the woman alleges. 

Noorani has said, "at no point was an allegation of sexual harassment brought to my attention."