View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
September 5, 2002updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

BBC names new presenters for Ten O’Clock News

By Press Gazette

Edwards: moves from 6pm news

The BBC has named Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce as successors to Peter Sissons and Michael Buerk as presenters on the Ten O’Clock News.

The top job has gone to Edwards, while Bruce, currently his colleague on the Six O’Clock News, will be second presenter on the Ten.

Their move up to the later bulletin in January will also usher in a new format for the 6pm programme, which will be co-presented by George Alagiah and Sophie Raworth.

Edwards was said by industry insiders to have been "pretty confident" he would get the plum job following Buerk’s resignation in June.

Sissons announced at the weekend that he was moving to News 24. He will also stand in for David Frost on his BBC1 Sunday morning programme.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The departure of the senior newsreaders from the 10pm bulletin has been expected for months by insiders, who believed that BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey and head of television news Roger Mosey wanted to bring in younger presenters and a woman to broaden its appeal.

"Huw has done really well on the Six and is a tremendous journalist," said Mosey, who denied that a new editor might be brought in to replace Mark Popescu.

The decision to bring Alagiah and Raworth together is also strategic, given that ITV is expected to move its early evening bulletin to 6pm.

The BBC said that both Alagiah and Raworth would "play an integral part in the journalism of the Six".

"We think they are a very warm and good team," said Mosey. "There’s been a lot of focus on the Ten, but the Six is going to be a hot area because that’s right in the heart of the competition."

By Julie Tomlin

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network