Robert Peston has reportedly left the BBC to join ITV as its new political editor.
The corporation’s economics editor, one of its best-known journalists, is said to have been lured with the promise of a Sunday morning chatshow to go up against The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.
Peston made his name during the financial crash of 2008, when he broke a string of exclusives including the collapse of Northern Rock.
He was appointed economics editor in October 2013, but has a varied role at the corporation, recently presenting an interview show with Eddie Mair on Radio 4 and fronting several documentaries including How China Fooled the World.
According to The Guardian, the BBC had made a last-ditch attempt to persuade Peston to stay by offering him the presenter’s job on Newsnight on Thursdays.
Peston was said to be particularly attracted by the promise of his own show, however.
In a statement, ITV said: “We have no comment to make at this time on the recruitment for, or the speculation around, our political editor role.”
Peston is well-known for his idiosyncratic speaking style, as well as his newly bouffant hairstyle, which even has its own Twitter account.
