BBC presenter Mishal Husain steps down from radio and TV shows

Background and Career

Husain joined the BBC in 1998 and has had a long-standing career as a presenter on various shows. She was one of five presenters on the Today programme’s current roster, alongside Justin Webb, Nick Robinson, Emma Barnett, and Amol Rajan. During her time at the BBC, Husain presented the BBC News at Six and Ten, as well as its news channels.

Departure from BBC

Husain announced that she will be leaving the BBC in the New Year to host a new interview series for Bloomberg and become editor-at-large of its Weekend Edition. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunities the BBC provided her and wished the organization and everyone who is part of it the very best.

Praise from Colleagues

Owenna Griffiths, editor of the Today programme, described Husain as “not only a formidable journalist and first-rate presenter” but also “an extremely generous and thoughtful colleague.” Griffiths will miss Husain enormously but wishes her all the very best in her new venture.

Salary Information

Husain earned between £340,000 and £344,999 in the last financial year for about 140 shifts presenting Today, 20 days reading the news on BBC One, plus Today’s debates and other projects.

Career Highlights

During her career at the BBC, Husain reported from countries ranging from the US to Pakistan. She interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, after their engagement in 2017; and was part of the coverage of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the King’s coronation. Husain also made documentaries about the lives of the late Queen, Mahatma Gandhi, and Malala Yousafzai, as well as the Arab Spring in 2011.

New Venture at Bloomberg

Husain is excited to be fronting a new interview show that will reach audiences in different formats as part of the exciting plans for Bloomberg Weekend Edition. She looks forward to working with a new team at Bloomberg and appreciates the opportunity to have her first job in journalism at the place where she started.

Replacement on Today Programme

The news of Husain’s departure comes five months after Martha Kearney left the Today programme. Her replacement should be another woman, according to some, and possibilities mentioned include BBC Europe editor Katya Adler, Radio 5 Live’s Rachel Burden, and ITV’s deputy political editor Anushka Asthana.

Timeline

• Husain will have spent 27 years at the BBC.

• She has been a host on the station’s flagship current affairs morning show for 11 years.

• Husain began her journalism career at Bloomberg Television in the 1990s before joining the BBC.