And finally… news presenter Sally Magnusson hosts BBC Scotland’s flagship news show for the last time

By CLAIRE ELLIOT FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL

Published: 20:50 BST, 4 April 2025 | Updated: 20:50 BST, 4 April 2025

She has been a prominent teatime figure on Scotland’s screens for almost 30 years, covering some of the country’s biggest news stories.

But last night Sally Magnusson presented BBC’s flagship Reporting Scotland programme for the final time.

The 69-year-old stood down after 27 years, having joined the show in 1998.

And as she bid farewell to viewers, she was joined by sports presenter Lewis Irons as they looked back at some of the highlights of her career.

Surprising the veteran journalist at the end of the show, he said: ‘There’s another big story today… you’re last ever reporting Scotland after 27 years.’

After watching the footage, an emotional Ms Magnusson said: ‘My goodness me.. I thought I’d be ok, but I’ve been absolutely overwhelmed how nice everyone has been, and surprises like this.’

And she quipped: ‘Did we not know about hair straighteners in the 1980s, honestly’.

Sally Magnusson presenting her final Reporting Scotland 4th April 2025. Sally says her final goodbye

Sports presenter Lewis Irons and Sally looked back at some of the highlights of her career.

Sally Magnusson has been a staple of the news in Scotland for decades

She added: I’ll miss you all. I’ll miss the connection with the audience. It is such a privilege to have had all these years.’

Over the decades she has covered some of the UK’s biggest stories including the deaths of the Queen and Prince Philip, ‘countless’ elections as well as fronting live tributes from France during the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

But ahead of her final broadcast she admitted that her family always came first.

She said: ‘It has to. You don’t go and have five children and commit to family if you don’t put that first.’

Ms Magnusson also joked about her hair, joking people could have done with ‘straighteners’.

She has reported on pivotal moments, including the death of Queen Elizabeth II

However, as she spoke of juggling her hugely successful career with raising her family, she told BBC Scotland’s Scotscast podcast: ‘I found that as much as I adore my children…..I’ve always longed to be stimulated and have stuff going on with my brain. And that’s what has driven me.’

But she has no plans to retire all together. She said at the end of last night’s programme she was hoping to ‘write more books’ and be a ‘peripatetic grandmother.’

As the programme ended the screen read ‘Goodbye Sally, we will miss you’.

Gary Smith, head of news and current affairs at BBC Scotland, described her as ‘an outstanding journalist, broadcaster and writer’.

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And finally… news presenter Sally Magnusson hosts BBC Scotland’s flagship news show for the last time

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