Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has revealed she is leaving the BBC after 20 years.
The broadcaster made the announcement on Tuesday (22 February), telling her Twitter followers she was departing the channel to launch a new podcast with fellow correspondent Jon Sopel.
“Some work news – @BBCJonSopel and I are going to launch a brand new podcast with @Global, exec produced by @dinosofos,” she wrote.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to do something we all love, and we are so thrilled Global is giving us this opportunity to be big and ambitious with this project.”
Maitlis, 51, continued: “Nevertheless, it will be a wrench to leave the BBC after 20 phenomenal years. I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had there. More than anything I’m grateful to have worked with the most incredible people – many of whom are dear friends. I owe my BBC colleagues everything.”
The broadcaster joined Newsnight in 2006. Her most famous interview on the current affairs show came when she sat down with Prince Andrew in November 2019 to discuss his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein.
Maitlis’ interview saw her win the Network Presenter of the Year award at the RTS Television Journalism Awards the following year.
Jon Sopel and Emily Maitlis are leaving the BBC to work for Global
(Twitter)
Sopel’s career with the BBC began in 1983.
He was the one-time chief political correspondent for BBC News 24 and, in 2005, replaced Jeremy Vine as the lead presenter of The Politics Show on BBC One.
Sopel, 62, previously presented BBC News alongside Maitlis and Louise Minchin and, in 2020, started the podcast Americast alongside Maitlis and the BBC’s chief North American reporter, Anthony Zurcher.
The series was designed to end after the 2020 election, but continued due to its popularity with listeners.
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Speaking about his new appointment alongside Maitlis on Global, Sopel tweeted: “We’re excited to be working with them on this innovative project. Opportunities like this just don’t come along very often. But am sad to leave the BBC which has been home for so long.”
He continued: “Of course, it will be a wrench to leave the BBC after nearly 4 decades, and have loved my time there – partic the last seven years as North America Editor.
“I leave with nothing but good feelings towards the Corporation, and wish all the best to my colleagues and friends there.”
