Quantcast
Channel: Broadcast Journalism – Press Gazette
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 1474

Eamonn Holmes leaves Sky News after 11 years presenting Sunrise breakfast show

$
0
0

Sky News breakfast show presenter Eamonn Holmes is to step down after 11 years in the job.

He is instead going to focus on documentaries and his other broadcasting work on ITV and Channel 5.

Holmes is a one of a number of departures from Sky as it prepares to move to new studios at its base in West London.

It was revealed in July that up to 46 Sky studio staff face redundancy amid moves towards greater automation.

The same month it was revealed that six jobs were at risk under plans to drop dedicated business bulletins. And the departures were also announced in July of presenters Andrew Wilson, Lorna Dunkley and Samantha Simmonds.

Holmes said: “Anchoring my own Breakfast show for 11 years has been for me the stuff of boyhood dreams. It was the job I hoped to do as a young Belfast lad – and because of Sky News I got there.

“Forty five years plus on I have other dreams, and to achieve them I realise that unfortunately I need to step away from the daily studio commitment for a while. There is an addiction to a live breaking news studio environment.

“However after more than 3,000 hours of programming it is a habit I have to suppress. Increasingly in life I have found myself in the fortunate position of having so much to do but little time to do it. This seems an opportune moment to change that.

“Going forward I will now produce and present a number of documentary projects which I have been stalling for some time, as well as continuing my work with ITV and Channel 5. There is so much going on and I realised it was now or never.”

“New Studios mean a chance for wonderful new ideas and a new approach with new presenters. I hope they enjoy and respect the privilege of hosting Sunrise and waking up Britain and the world as much as I have.

“To those who have worked or woken up with me on Sky News over the years – thank you. I hope you appreciated that I tried to do it differently.”

Sky head of news John Ryley: “Over the past eleven years, Eamonn has been instrumental in turning Sunrise into a show that has become a morning must watch and has a faithful following who begin the day with him and his team.

“There are very few presenters who can challenge their interviewee with acute questions combined with infectious charm – Eamonn does that.  A true pro. We wish him the very best of luck in the future.”


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 1474

Trending Articles