Kirsty Wark has announced her intention to stand down as a lead presenter of Newsnight.
Wark, who has presented the current affairs programme for 30 years, won’t be leaving immediately, but rather after the next election, which is expected at the end of 2024.
She will continue to work for the BBC, including on Radio 4 shows such as The Reunion and Start the Week.
She noted of her departure:
“Today I am celebrating 30 years presenting Newsnight. It is an enormous privilege to be involved in such a rigorous, creative programme with a wonderful, talented, bunch of colleagues – actually many bunches over the years, led, most recently by Esme Wren followed by Stewart Maclean.
“There’s not a day when I don’t look forward to coming to the office, and every day I learn something from the team about all manner of things, from aspects of American foreign policy to how to make a great mojito.
“Last year I spoke to both to the Director General Tim Davie and to Stewart and signalled my desire to end my three decade run on the show after the next election, and that’s the plan.
“When the time comes it will be a massive wrench. However, I’ll be leaving Newsnight but not the BBC. I’ll still be presenting The Reunion and Start the Week on Radio 4, TV documentaries too as well as finishing, finally, my third novel. There are exciting times ahead.”
Tim Davie, Director-General of the corporation, praised Wark’s “authority, razor-sharp insight and journalistic flair.”
Kirsty Wark’s long-standing tenure on Newsnight began in 1993, and she has covered eight prime ministers and interviewed many prominent politicians and cultural figures, including playwright Harold Pinter.
She reported and presented from Scotland after the 1996 Dunblane massacre, conducted the only interview with Lord Macpherson following his inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, and in America interviewed victims of Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro.
