John Suchet joins Five News

Veteran broadcaster John Suchet is to join Five News in the New Year to present some of the channels evening bulletins.

Suchet, who retired from ITN in March 2004, will present the 5.30 and 7pm bulletins on Thursdays and Fridays as well as taking over the bulletins five days a week while Kirsty Young is on maternity leave.

“I can’t wait to return to the cut and thrust of the newsroom,” said the 61-year-old broadcaster.

“Since leaving ITV News, I’ve been very fortunate to work on my other big passion in life which is my music.

“But I didn’t realise quite how much I missed it until I was offered this opportunity,” he added.

During his 32 years at ITN, Suchet worked on both the Lunchtime News and the News at Ten bulletins.

Before becoming a studio based presenter, Suchet was an award-winning foreign correspondent for many years.

He left his television job to write his autobiography and concentrate on his passion for music.

Since his retirement last year he has presented a show about composers on radio station Classic FM, reported for ITN on the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings and put in brief appearances on ITV1 daytime show This Morning.