BBC appoints new editor for Newsnight

The BBC Two news and current affairs series is to be overseen by Esme Wren following the departure late last year of Editor Ian Katz.

“Newsnight is in Esme’s DNA. It’s where she began her broadcasting career and we’re delighted to welcome her back to the BBC as its editor. She brings with her a wealth of TV and political expertise, and she’s worked with some of the finest names in the business. We are all looking forward to having Esme at the helm of one of our most important programmes.” – Fran Unsworth, Director of BBC News and Current Affairs,

Esme Wren has been appointed as the new editor of BBC Newsnight the corporation announced today. Esme is currently Head of Politics, Business and Specialist Journalism at Sky News. She will take on the beeb role later this spring. Esme replaces Ian Katz, who left the BBC Two programme in November 2017.

Esme has held a number of senior editorial roles at Sky News. She began her journalism career at the BBC in 1999, as a producer on Newsnight. The broadcaster notes that the long-running second channel news show is ‘one of the BBC’s flagship news and current affairs programmes. Recently, the programme’s journalism has included in-depth reports on the victims of Grenfell tower and the Rohingya crisis – both of which have been nominated for RTS awards, along with Emily Maitlis’ interview with Theresa May after the Grenfell tragedy, which is nominated for Interview of the Year. In total, the programme has picked up 5 nominations.’

The series began in 1980 with famous hosts including Jeremy Paxman, who was with the show for 25 years, Kirsty Wark who has been with the programme since 1993 and Emily Maitlis who joined in 2006.

It is a great honour and privilege to be returning to Newsnight to lead this exceptional team of award-winning and creative journalists. There couldn’t be a more exciting time to edit the programme that leads the way in cutting through the constant noise of political, social and global change. The last 12 years at Sky News could not have been better. I’ve been given the opportunities to grow and develop that have prepared me to now take on one of the best jobs in British journalism.” – Esme Wren