Emily Maitlis has announced that she is walking away from the BBC.
The broadcaster is leaving the channel to join media group Global to front a podcast and co-host a radio show on LBC alongside Jon Sopel.
Journalist Emily shared the news on Twitter by writing: "Some work news - @BBCJonSopel and I are going to launch a brand new podcast with @Global, exec produced by @dinosofos. 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."
The 51-year-old - who has worked with the BBC for 20 years - 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."
After Emily took to social media to share the life update, Jon followed with a message reading: "Some work news: @maitlis and I are going to launch a brand, spanking new podcast with @global. 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."
Emily was one of the BBC's biggest names as she fronted Newsnight, and also covered elections for the BBC in UK, US and Europe.
As of 2019, the journalist was reportedly amongst the highest-paid BBC news and current affairs staff and is said to have received a salary between £370,000-£374,999.
Emily joined BBC London News when the programme was relaunched in 2001.
She was a regular presenter on BBC News Channel for a decade between 2006 and 2016, alongside Ben Brown and Jon Sopel.
The talented reporter also presented BBC Breakfast and from May 2006 until July 2007 presented STORYFix on BBC News.
In July 2007, Maitlis was appointed as a contributing editor to The Spectator magazine, an unpaid post.
This had been approved by her immediate manager, the head of BBC Television News Peter Horrocks, but later the BBC made a U-turn and she had to leave the role.
Emily joined Newsnight on BBC Two in 2006, she was initially a relief host but then became a lead anchor of the programme in 2018.
In 2020, Maitlis began presenting the BBC podcast, Americast, alongside Jon and Anthony Zurcher.
Jon's decision follows on from him stepping down as North America Editor in October 2021.
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Sopel has been with the BBC for 38 years after joining the company in 1983 as a reporter and producer for BBC Radio Solent.
He went on to become the chief political correspondent for BBC News 24 and later spent three years as the BBC's Paris correspondent.
In 2005, Sopel joined The Politics Show on BBC One replacing Jeremy Vine as the programme's main presenter.
Jon has also co-presented the BBC News channel on weekday afternoons alongside Louise Minchin each Tuesday to Thursday and alongside Emily on Mondays.
In 2018, agreed to a pay cut from his annual £400,000 to £450,000 after it was revealed he earned far more than his fellow editor.
From 2019-to 2020 he received an annual salary of £235,000-£239,999.
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