The BBC has announced that John Neal will be the new permanent editor of The Andrew Marr Show.
Neal had been acting editor of the Sunday morning programme for the past three months following the appointment of previous editor Rob Burley to editor of its Live Political Programmes earlier this year.
He also takes over as editor of BBC Newswatch, which gives viewers’ opinions on the coverage of events by BBC News, addressed by the editors and decision makers in charge.
Prior to his new appointments, Neal was assistant editor of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.
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During his time there he led on the 2017 General Election coverage and produced the Raqqa Diary series which followed the life of an activist based in Raqqa, Syria, and the realities of everyday life in the war-torn city.
Neal also ran the Christmas guest editor series of the Today programme which last year included Prince Harry and an Artificial Intelligence.
Neal said: “I’ve always greatly admired the Andrew Marr Show and, after three fantastic months, it’s a privilege to lead it through a tumultuous period in British politics.
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“I’m excited to drive two important programmes to even greater success.”
Neal began working for the BBC on Radio Nottingham in 2008 and has also worked as a broadcast journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live
Departing editor Rob Burley said: “John has a formidable track record as a journalist and has brought tremendous energy and ambition to the role of Marr editor in the past few months.
“I’m delighted he’ll be at the helm to take the show to even greater heights in the future.”
Earlier this month the BBC announced several changes to its political programming under £1.9m of cuts, part of a wider £80m in savings it has to make across the news department by 2021/22.
The Sunday Politics will now run as half-hour long programme airing immediately after the Andrew Marr Show while The Daily Politics, which aired for the last time on Tuesday, will be replaced by a new weekday programme, Politics Live.
Picture: BBC
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