BBC News presenter Joanna Gosling is ‘overwhelmed’ at fan praise as she quits 23-year career after being ordered to screen test for her job in channel merger
- Joanna Gosling announced her exit on Twitter after 23 years with the BBC
- She is due to go off air on January 26 but has not told people her next steps
- Gosling opted for voluntary redundancy along with David Eades and Tim Willcox
- Ms Gosling fought back tears when reporting on the death of three Solihull boys
BBC News presenter Joanna Gosling has been ‘overwhelmed’ with praise from fans after she announced that she would be quitting after 23 years.
Ms Gosling, 51, confirmed she was leaving her BBC presenter role on Twitter and that her last broadcast will be on January 26.
In a tweet, Ms Gosling wrote: ‘I wanted to confirm, that I have decided to leave the BBC and will go off air on the 26th January.
‘I am very grateful for the kind messages I’ve had from so many of you. I’m proud of my career in news. Now it is time for new beginnings.’
Joanna Gosling confirmed she was leaving her BBC presenter role on Twitter and that her last broadcast will be on January 26
Ms Gosling fought back tears reporting on three young boys who died in Solihull last year
In a second tweet, she thanked her fans for the ‘overwhelmingly lovely’ response and said she was ‘so grateful’.
Ms Gosling opted for voluntary redundancy along with David Eades and Tim Willcox after deciding not to take part in a recruitment process for a new channel that will merge BBC News and BBC World News.
It emerged earlier this month that presenters would be forced to do screen tests to save their jobs ahead of the channel merger.
A group of 15 presenters are doing screen tests and interviews for six positions, with Deadline citing sources who described the process as ‘humiliating’ given the applicants’ decades of experience.
A number of colleagues, viewers and other journalists wished her luck on her announcement post.
ITV presenter and Loose Women anchor Charlene White said: ‘Oh Joanna… you’ve been a joy to watch. Good luck for whatever comes next.’
The Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis commented: ‘Best of luck wherever pastures take you. There is life outside the beeb.’
BBC’s chief political correspondent Nick Eardley said ‘It’s been a pleasure chatting to you Joanna. You’ll be missed!!!’
Ms Gosling was praised by viewers for her ‘dignity, empathy and professionalism’ when she fought back tears reporting on three young boys who died in Solihull last year.
As Ms Gosling delivered the news of the deaths live on air, she appeared visibly upset and after taking a pause said ‘I’m so sorry, this is terrible news obviously.’ She described the deaths as very ‘shocking’ and ‘very sad’.
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