BBC News star reveals he’s quit after 35 years at the broadcaster and his final show is just weeks away
A TOP BBC star has announced his decision to quit after 35 years at the broadcaster.
The London-born journalist, 63, has enjoyed stints on BBC News as its Middle East Correspondent and, most recently, on BBC One show Newsnight.
Mark Urban today revealed his retirement in an emotional message posted to his account on X, telling fans it was “time for a change.”
Alongside two siren Emoji icons he wrote: “Personal news
“I’ll be leaving the BBC at the end of May.
“Newsnight in its current format will end then, so most posts will go. I decided not to apply for other BBC jobs.
“Working there for 35 yrs has been life defining: an eyewitness to history collaborating with such brilliant colleagues.
“But it’s time for a change.”
His followers were quick to wish him well, with one writing: “Really valued your insights on Newsnight. Hope we will see you on another platform soon.”
“Newsnight in its current format will end then, so most posts will go
Mark Urban
Another put: “Thank you for your exceptional wisdom, insight and knowledge. We learned so much from you Mark!”
One then mused: “Very sad what’s happening to Newsnight.”
Another concluded: “Can’t bring myself to ‘like’ that news. My TV licence expires in June, and I don’t think I’ll be renewing it.”
BBC stalwart
Mark first joined the BBC in 1983 as an assistant producer, before leaving to follow a print journalism career at The Independent.
He worked as a Middle East correspondent for BBC News between 1993 and 1994 before becoming Newsnight’s Diplomatic Editor in 1995.
This is a role he has held ever since, and one which has seen him cover wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia, as well as The Gulf War.
Away from the screen, he has carved out a career as an author.
Off air?
Current affairs programme Newsnight has been on air for 43 years.
It airs weekdays from 10:30pm on BBC One and the News channel with Kirsty Wark, Victoria Derbyshire and Faisal Islam.
Yet a former BBC boss has called for the schedule regular to be axed.
Speaking about ditching the show in 2023, Katy Searle said: “Is it really the right thing to spend £13million on a programme that is only watched by 300,000?
“When, actually, you could do that same investigative journalism but spread it across news in different parts of the day?
“And remember, Panorama still exists.”
Cut backs
Last year, it was revealed BBC Newsnight would be cut back as part of a savings plan.
It came after the Corporation had been tasked with finding £500m in savings as a result of a two-year freeze on the price of a TV licence.
Changes included 10 minutes being taken off runtime and more than half of its staff members being let go from their roles.
Its investigative films were also axed, with the focus switching to studio-based debates.
BBC News and Current Affairs CEO Deborah Turness said: “When we started work on this announcement, I did not know if it would make financial sense to keep Newsnight on air.
“We, like many other news organisations, have streamlined our editorial teams to avoid duplication.
“It simply no longer makes sense to keep a bespoke reporting team dedicated to a single news programme with a small and declining audience, however good that programme is.”
However, she said audiences found Newsnight to be an “important BBC brand” and added: “So we’ve made the decision to reformat Newsnight as a 30 minute late-night news-making debate, discussion and interview programme.”
The news was announced weeks after Newsnight’s editor Stewart Maclean quit for a new role as BBC World News Content’s African bureau chief.