This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/07/robert-peston-confirmed-itv-political-editor-sunday-show-host

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Robert Peston to be confirmed as ITV political editor and Sunday show host Robert Peston confirmed as ITV political editor and Sunday show host
(35 minutes later)
Robert Peston is to be confirmed as ITV’s new political editor this afternoon after signing a contract that includes presenting a new Sunday morning politics show. Robert Peston has been confirmed as ITV’s new political editor this afternoon after signing a contract that includes presenting a new Sunday morning politics show.
The BBC economics editor has spent the last two days finalising details of a full-time staff contract with the commercial channel, having accepted an offer in principle over the weekend. The BBC economics editor has spent the last two days finalising details of a full-time staff contract with the commercial channel that will see him appear across all ITV’s news and current affairs shows.
It is believed he will earn close to the £500,000 that is paid to the BBC’s Andrew Marr, his soon-to-be rival on Sunday mornings. Earlier reports that he would be earning closer to £750,000 were scotched by sources close to ITV. It is believed he will earn up to £350,000. Andrew Marr, his soon-to-be BBC rival on Sunday mornings, is reported to earn significantly more. Earlier suggestions that Peston would be earning closer to £750,000 were rejected by ITV insiders.
Peston, who began his career as a print journalist working at the Financial Times and the Sunday Telegraph, spent the last 10 years at the BBC. He is said to have been tempted to leave as a result of the changing political environment in the UK. In a heartfelt post on his BBC blog, Peston called working for BBC News “the high point of my working life”, adding that “its unrivalled commitment to objectivity, seriousness and relevance is a beacon”.
After thanking his colleagues for turning his “pigs ears into almost-silken purses” the man responsible for a string of scoops including the collapse of Northern Rock said: “I’ve never had a dull moment since I joined. I will miss the BBC terribly.”
His move ties in with ITV’s plans to relaunch News at Ten later this month with former ITV political editor Tom Bradby as main anchor.
In a statement Peston said: “I am very excited by ITV’s plans to create a distinctive and authoritative new voice in news and political coverage. Leaving the wonderful BBC has been the hardest career decision of my life, but it’s impossible to turn down an opportunity like this.” He was expected to address new new colleagues at ITV on Wednesday afternoon.
Peston, who began his career as a print journalist working at the Financial Times and the Sunday Telegraph, spent the last 10 years at the BBC. He is said to have been tempted to leave as a result of the changing political environment in the UK as well as the chance of hosting his own show.
Related: Will Robert Peston's move be hit or miss? Switching from BBC to ITV has been tried before ...Related: Will Robert Peston's move be hit or miss? Switching from BBC to ITV has been tried before ...
It is not yet known whether the new show, with a working title of Peston on Sunday, will be shown opposite BBC1’s Andrew Marr programme when it launches some time next year.
The appointment comes after years in which ITV has ceded ground in public service broadcasting, with the likes of Sky News going head-to-head with the BBC over public service reporting.The appointment comes after years in which ITV has ceded ground in public service broadcasting, with the likes of Sky News going head-to-head with the BBC over public service reporting.
The channel once dominated the space with the likes of Brian Walden’s Weekend World and David Frost on a Sunday but, after its public service obligations were loosened in the 1990s, the channel started to show repeats of children’s television programmes on a Sunday morning. The channel once dominated the space with the likes of Brian Walden’s Weekend World and Frost on Sunday but, after its public service obligations were loosened in the 1990s, the channel started to show repeats of children’s television programmes on a Sunday morning.
The Andrew Marr Show, which airs at 9am, attracted between 1.2 million and 1.4 million viewers in September, compared with fewer than 185,000 on ITV for shows such as the children’s programme Horrible Science and Murder She Wrote. The Andrew Marr Show, which airs at 9am, regularly attracted between 1.2 million and 1.4 million viewers in September, compared with fewer than 185,000 on ITV for shows such as the children’s programme Horrible Science and Murder She Wrote.
The new morning show, with a working title of Peston on Sunday, is unlikely to be launched until next year. Peston on Sunday is expected to run for much of the year and, according to ITV’s director of news and current affairs, Michael Jermey, it will “offer viewers a fresh and distinctive approach to political discussion at the weekend”.
Jermey also said Peston’s “distinctive and intelligent approach to journalism will fit well with ITV’s news and current affairs output. Robert’s conversations on News at Ten with Tom Bradby will be essential viewing for everyone who wants to be well informed about politics.”
It is not thought to be money that induced Peston to move to ITV, despite the best efforts of the BBC, which offered him stints on Newsnight if he stayed.
Peston is expected to report to Geoff Hill, the editor of ITV News, who said: “I’m delighted that Robert is joining us at such an important time as we continue to develop News at Ten. He is a hugely respected and competitive journalist, renowned for agenda-setting journalism.“