Mishal Husain steps down from BBC’s 'Today' programme

BBC Radio 4 presenter Mishal Husain will leave the corporation after a 26-year career to join Bloomberg, the broadcaster confirmed today.

Husain, 51, has been a key presenter on BBC’s flagship "Today" programme since 2013, and will step down in the New Year to host a new global interview series for Bloomberg. She will also take on the role of editor-at-large for the network’s Weekend Edition.

Reflecting on her time at the BBC, Husain said: “My time at the BBC has involved many memorable moments, going to places I would never otherwise have seen, witnessing history, and being part of live, national conversation on Radio 4.”

“I will always be grateful for the opportunities the BBC gave me, and wish the organisation and everyone who is part of it the very best,” she added.

Mishal Husain said she would ‘always be grateful for the opportunities the BBC gave me’. Photograph: PA/Alamy

Owenna Griffiths, editor of the "Today" programme, praised Husain as “not only a formidable journalist and first-rate presenter” but also a “generous and thoughtful colleague,” adding that her departure would be a great loss to the programme.

Husain, born in Northampton to Pakistani parents, began her career at Bloomberg in the late 1990s, before joining the BBC in 1998. Over the years, she has hosted key election debates, reported from various countries, and led major coverage, including the funerals of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III.

In addition to her journalistic work, Husain published a bestselling book earlier this year, Broken Threads: My Family from Empire to Independence, which was praised for its intimate portrayal of her grandparents’ lives in post-colonial Pakistan.

Her exit from the BBC follows a trend of high-profile departures, including that of Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel in 2022. BBC sources noted that Husain had been considering her future with the corporation for the past 18 months.

At Bloomberg, Husain said she was “delighted to be fronting a new interview show that will reach audiences in different formats as part of Bloomberg’s Weekend Edition.”

David Merritt, Bloomberg’s head of media editorial, described Husain as “one of the UK’s pre-eminent news broadcasters” and expressed excitement at welcoming her back to the network.