BBC Information presenter Anna Foster to hitch Radio 4 Right now crew | Radio 4

As Iran was firing scores of ballistic missiles into Israel and Israel was launching a floor invasion into southern Lebanon final autumn, BBC Information presenter Anna Foster was calmly anchoring the tense and complex occasions for the ten o’clock information from Beirut with out an Autocue.

It was an outing that satisfied senior BBC bosses that her expertise of the Center East, in addition to the power to deal with the stress of such a fragile worldwide story, made her the suitable individual to host the company’s flagship radio information programme.

Foster will grow to be the fifth member of the presenting crew for BBC Radio 4’s Right now programme, a roster that has been depleted to 4 everlasting members since Mishal Husain’s shock choice to go away the BBC on the finish of final yr.

Whereas Foster’s identify had not been amongst these rumoured to be within the working, BBC insiders mentioned that her ability in reporting within the Center East meant she had been extremely rated for a while. This was introduced house by her reside anchoring from Beirut, which was on the centre of worldwide information after Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime chief of Hezbollah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on town days earlier than.

Foster, a BBC Information at One presenter, will start presenting Right now from subsequent month. It means the programme will lastly have a whole presenting lineup, alongside Justin Webb, Nick Robinson, Amol Rajan and Emma Barnett.

Many had anticipated the submit to go to the BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler. Each she and Sarah Smith, its North American editor, had beforehand stepped in as Right now presenters. Royal correspondent Jonny Dymond and enterprise editor Simon Jack had additionally offered the present not too long ago, however appointing one among them would have left just one lady on the common roster.

Some senior BBC figures had additionally been eager for the company to poach a giant determine from one other broadcaster, with a number of mentioned to have wished ITV’s Julie Etchingham to be approached. She moderated the primary election debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer and was regarded by many as the actual winner from the encounter.

One other determine mentioned was Sky’s Sophy Ridge, who was not too long ago introduced as presenter of the yr on the Royal Tv Society awards. John McAndrew, director of programmes for BBC Information, is aware of Ridge’s work from his time at Sky. He has simply been given big energy throughout the company, heading up the brand new BBC Dwell and Each day Information division.

Nevertheless, an enormous premium was positioned on Foster’s data of worldwide information and specialism within the Center East, having beforehand served as a correspondent within the area. She additionally honed her radio presenting expertise by beforehand internet hosting Radio 5 Dwell’s drive-time present.

Foster’s appointment ends the long-running saga of discovering Husain’s alternative. There was big frustration throughout the company over the failure to retain Husain, with insiders claiming that extra ought to have been completed to maintain her. She left to hitch Bloomberg as editor-at-large and to host a world interview collection.

The weekly viewers for the Right now programme now stands at 5.73 million, based on the most recent business figures. Whereas it has declined considerably because the 7.5 million it reached in 2016 through the aftermath of the EU referendum, its efficiency is comparatively secure. Extra persons are additionally listening to it later by way of apps.

The BBC mentioned tv viewers may nonetheless anticipate to see Foster on bulletins as main tales break. Foster mentioned that there have been “few extra thrilling alternatives for a journalist than presenting Right now, and I’m thrilled to be becoming a member of the crew”.

She mentioned: “I’ve at all times beloved making essential, agenda-setting, participating radio, and there’s nowhere higher to try this. It’s such a beloved programme to so many individuals, and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Mohit Bakaya, the controller of Radio 4, mentioned: “Anna is a terrific addition to the Right now crew. She brings essential worldwide reporting expertise at a time when it’s wanted so urgently by listeners to Radio 4. She is an excellent journalist and expert presenter, and I can’t wait to listen to her, alongside Nick, Amol, Justin and Emma, attending to grips with the essential tales on the nation’s greatest speech breakfast programme.”