Louise Minchin to leave BBC Breakfast

BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin has announced she is to leave the BBC after almost 20 years.

Minchin first presented the BBC Breakfast in 2001 and became the show’s lead presenter in 2012 when the programme moved to MediaCity in Salford.

She told viewers she had “loved” being on the show but “it is time I stopped setting my alarm for 03:40”.

She started work for Radio 5 Live in 1998 and presented many of the station’s main programmes, including Drive and Breakfast.

Between September 2003 and April 2012, she was a regular BBC News Channel presenter, initially working alongside Jon Sopel from 7pm to 10pm.

Minchin then presented the 2pm to 5pm slot, also with Sopel, sharing this shift with Emily Maitlis.

In 2006 and 2007, Minchin was a relief presenter on BBC Breakfast while Kate Silverton covered for main anchor Sian Williams. After Williams returned, she continued to co-host the programme, and from May 2009 until April 2012 was the regular weekend presenter of the show.

In December 2011 the BBC announced that Minchin would replace Williams as a main presenter of BBC Breakfast along with Bill Turnbull and Charlie Stayt when the programme moved to Salford.