Andrew Marr has announced he is stepping down as a presenter on the BBC after 21 years, saying he is keen to do journalism with “no filter”.
In a statement shared to social media, Marr – who has had his own Sunday morning politics show on BBC One for 16 years – said: “I have decided to move on from the BBC. l leave behind many happy memories and wonderful colleagues.
“But from the New Year I am moving to Global to write and present political and cultural shows, and to write for newspapers.”
Global Media & Entertainment is a British company that owns radio stations such as Capital, Heart, Classic FM, Smooth and LBC.
In a follow-up tweet, Marr added: “I think British politics and public life are going to go through an even more turbulent decade, and as I’ve said, I am keen to get my own voice back.”
He continued: “I have been doing The Andrew Marr Show every Sunday morning for 16 years now and that is probably more than enough time for anybody!”
Marr, who edited The Independent between 1996 and 1998, joined the BBC in 2000, serving as the political editor for BBC News.
He began hosting the show which would become known as The Andrew Marr Show (formerly known as Sunday AM) in September 2005. On the programme, he regularly interviewed prime ministers and international leaders.
On LBC, Marr will host a new, opinion-led programme where, according to the station, “he will give his view on the biggest issues of the moment, along with agenda-setting guests”.
Marr said: “Coming to Global gives me a new freedom – to do fast-paced, very regular political journalism on LBC with no filter, in entirely my own voice. On Classic FM, I’ll be exploring my love of classical music, and culture generally, with some surprising guests. I feel I’m joining a young, hungrily ambitious and exciting company and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
The BBC is yet to announce who will replace Marr in his presenting role.
