York casts for lead role

Actress Dame Judi Dench has emerged as the early favourite to replace Dame Janet Baker as chancellor of the University of York. A replacement for opera singer Dame Janet, 69, who has been chancellor since 1991, is due to be announced in November.York-born Dame Judi, who has an honorary doctorate from the university, is believed to be the university's first choice. Other front-runners are BBC director-general Greg Dyke, a York graduate; composer John Barry; Booker prizewinner A. S. Byatt; and her novelist sister Margaret Drabble, who all come from York.