Newsnight's Kirsty Wark has revealed she will be stepping down after three decades on the show.
The 68-year-old shared her departure while celebrating three decades on the show, saying: “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.”
She went on to reveal that she signalled her desire to end her time on the show last year, adding: “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.”
Here is a comprehensive look at Kirsty Wark, including her time at the BBC, when she will officially step away from Newsnight, and her writing career, which she will now focus on.
Who is Kirsty Wark?
After 30 years presenting #Newsnight, @KirstyWark has announced she will step down after the next general election
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) October 19, 2023
A trailblazing talent who's been at the heart of our programme for three decades, here's a flavour of some of Kirsty's very first shows 👇 pic.twitter.com/xTzdZxjGFc
Kirsty Wark, whose full name is Kirsteen Anne Wark, is a Scottish television presenter who made a name for herself at the BBC.
The Dumfries native studied history with a focus on Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh before joining the BBC as a graduate researcher for BBC Radio Scotland in 1976.
A year later, she was promoted to produce Good Morning Scotland and other current affairs programmes.
In 1982, Wark made the switch from radio to television, producing Reporting Scotland, Agenda, and Current Account.
Soon after, she also added presenting to her list of duties, becoming the frontwoman of Reporting Scotland, Seven Days, Left, Right and Centre, and Scottish Questions for BBC Scotland.
The following decades saw Wark front a long list of shows ranging from The Book Quiz and The Kirsty Wark show to Newsnight.
She joined the Newsnight team in 1993 and has remained its lead presenter ever since.
Over the years, her work has won her the Journalist of the Year award at Bafta Scotland in 1993 and the Best Television Presenter award in 1997. She was also elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017.
What other shows has she made for the BBC?
Wark has worked on countless shows for the BBC, given her decades at the media outlet.
The following are some of her most-known shows:
Reporting Scotland
Scottish Questions
Newsnight
The Kirsty Wark Show
The Book Quiz
Tales from Old Europe
A Question of Genius
The Reunion
A Question of Taste
Words with Wark
The Late Show
When is she stepping down from Newsnight?
It has been revealed that the news presenter will step down from Newsnight after the next election.
This means that, if all goes as planned, Wark will step down after January 2025.
However, if King Charles dissolves the Parliament at any time before this date at the request of the prime minister, then this date would change.
What novels has she written?
To date, Wark has written two novels. The first one, entitled The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle, centres around the Scottish island of Arran.
The second, named The House By The Loch, is a family drama set in the Scottish countryside.
Wark is currently working on her third novel, which is being kept under wraps, but if her previous work is anything to go by, it is likely to be a novel set in Scotland.
