The BBC’s Mishal Husain has reportedly stepped down from from her Radio 4 Today show, just days after Zoe Ball announced she is leaving her Radio 2 Breakfast show. According to reports, talks are underway with BBC bosses about finding a new role for the journalist, who joined the show in 2013.
Ms Husain is now abroad filming a BBC TV show but is due to return to Today shortly, The Mirror reports. A source told The Times: “After 11 years Mishal has reached the point where the 3.30am alarm call is no longer a welcome noise. She is very highly thought of and there will be an extremely big effort to make sure that she’s accommodated well elsewhere.”
The broadcaster, who was paid up to £345,000 last year, will remain on air into the new year but is expected to take some time off after. It is unclear whether she will re-join in a permanent capacity afterwards.
A source said the BBC is working closely with Ms Husain as she is “very highly thought of” within the company. The journalist presents the show, which discusses news and current affairs, alongside Emma Barnett, Justin Webb, Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson.
She previously hinted at her exit from the show in an interview with The Sunday Times in June during which she said she was “thinking about what is beyond Today” and was “wondering what the next act of my career might look like.”
Her career began at the age of 18. She initially worked as a city reporter in Islamabad, before gaining work experience at the BBC producing several stints.
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Her job on Radio 4’s Today Programme began in 2013, where she worked alongside co-host John Humphrys. The star is also a familiar face on the BBC News at Six, the weekday edition of the BBC News at Ten and during major breaking news stories.
Earlier this week, presenter Zoe Ball announced her departure from the Breakfast Show and confirmed Scott Mills would be replacing her in the New Year.
It has been reported one of the driving factors to Zoe stepping down as was the death of her mum Julia in April. Zoe took time away from her show in March, so she could be at her mum’s side.
After returning briefly to radio in August, Zoe took another extended break in September, when it is believed she took stock of her life and made her decision to quit her show. Zoe succeeded Chris Evans in 2019 and her final broadcast is scheduled for December 20.
Updating listeners on her next steps, she said she wasn’t “going to be a stranger” and is staying with her “Radio 2 crew”, though didn’t share any more details. Zoe said: “While I’m stepping away from the Breakfast Show, I’m not disappearing entirely - I’ll still be part of the Radio 2 family, with more news in the New Year.”
The BBC didn’t comment on the story.
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