By Sheila Mckenzie-
Laura Kuenssberg will replace Andrew Marr as the host of BBC One’s flagship Sunday morning politics show, it has today been revealed. The veteran BBC journalist is taking over the role after announcing her decision to step down as the BBC’s political editor last December.
She beat the long-term Radio 4 Today programme presenter Mishal Husain to land Marr’s former Sunday role, with a promise of a “new-look” format. Husain is tipped for other television roles as they become available in the coming years, with internal candidates already positioning themselves to replace Huw Edwards as the host of News at Ten.
Delighted at the promotion, she said: “I couldn’t be more delighted,” the journalist said in a statement.
“For decades Sunday morning has been the moment to explore the events that shape us and to challenge and listen to our politicians.
“It’s an honour to take the chair for that conversation in the 2020s.”
Marr hosted the Sunday morning political show for 16 years, before quitting the BBC to host a new daily show on the radio station LBC. Sophie Raworth has guest-hosted the BBC show since, but she was overlooked for the permanent position.
The announcement is part of a BBC-wide reshuffle of on-screen presenters, with the decision of high-profile stars such as Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel to leave the corporation creating a cascade of vacancies.
An announcement on Kuenssberg’s replacement as political editor is also expected shortly. Kuenssberg is to start her new role when the show relaunches this September with a new set, title, format and title music.
The Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge and the former Guardian political editor Anushka Asthana are among those waiting to hear if they have been picked for the role. Kuenssberg had been in discussions about a move to the Today programme.
She is expected to granted a pay rise from her existing £260,000 salary, £35,000 lower than the £335,000 Marr was paid the same role. Her pay is likely to rise with time and experience in the role, otherwise it will raise issues or of gender bias, which has in the past rocked the BBC and other organisation following revelations about gender pay gaps in television. Her new salary will be published alongside the BBC’s annual report in the summer.
The BBC said she would join the “new-look” Sunday morning show in September this year.
The daughter of a businessman; Kuesenberg’s mother worked in children’s services and received a CBE for this in the 2000 New Year Honours, started her career as a trainee journalist in 2000. Kuenssberg won a regional Television Society Award in 2006. In 2009 she was appointed chief political correspondent for the BBC.
In July 2015, she became the first woman to be appointed as the BBC’s political editor.
“I couldn’t be more delighted,” the journalist said in a statement.
“For decades Sunday morning has been the moment to explore the events that shape us and to challenge and listen to our politicians.
“It’s an honour to take the chair for that conversation in the 2020s.”
Interim director of BBC News Jonathan Munro said: “Laura’s the perfect host for our flagship weekend politics show – she’s an engaging presenter and a razor-sharp political interviewer, and she knows exactly which questions audiences want answered.”
Other names thought to be in the running for the high-profile job included BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth, who has presented an interim replacement programme since Marr’s departure.
Marr quit the show that bore his name last year, saying he wanted to get his “own voice back”.
He has since become chief political commentator at The New Statesman, and taken on presenting roles at LBC and Classic FM.
Her tenure has encompassed a tumultuous period in British politics, which included Brexit, two UK general elections and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her last assignment as political editor will be covering the local elections in May. A successor has yet to be revealed, but an announcement is expected in the coming weeks.
The Sunday morning politics show is a staple of British political discourse. Marr hosted it for 16 years, taking over from Sir David Frost, who steered the ship from 1993 – 2005.