Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel to depart the BBC for LBC radio

BBC broadcast journalists Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel have announced their decision to depart the BBC for roles at LBC radio.

The announcement that the pair will move to Global, the parent company of LBC radio, follows in the footsteps of Andrew Marr who launched a show on the station at the start of the year.

The pair, who headed the BBC’s Americast podcast, will host a joint show and present a new podcast for Global.

Maitlis told LBC: “We are just so delighted to be launching this brand new podcast – which will build on everything we’ve achieved with Americast over the last few years – and it will find new audiences and a new home with Global.”

She also tweeted: “Some work news – @BBCJonSopel and I are going to launch a brand new podcast with @Global, exec produced by @dinosofos. It’s an amazing opportunity to do something we all love, and we are so thrilled Global is giving us this opportunity to be big and ambitious with this project.”

“I’m delighted to be joining Global with my great friend and colleague, Emily Maitlis,” Sopel said.

“We’ve been blown away by the reception for Americast, and are so excited that Global has given us the opportunity to build on this success by creating this innovative news podcast.”

He also told his Twitter followers: “Opportunities like this just don’t come along very often. But I am sad to leave the BBC which has been home for so long.”