After Dame Jenni, now Garvey quits Woman’s Hour

JANE Garvey is leaving Woman’s Hour – just weeks after fellow host Dame Jenni Murray announced her own departure.

In what will be another blow for loyal listeners to the Radio 4 programme, Miss Garvey, pictured, has decided to quit at the end of December, after 1 years.

This comes little more than a month after Dame Jenni, 70, its longest-serving host, said she was stepping down after years. The double departure represents a big change to the programme, with huge interest in who will replace them.

Sources close to Miss Garvey, 56, moved to quell any suspicions that she was being forced out as part of a BBC management push to rebrand the show. They said it was her decision and she wanted to ‘do new things’. The BBC also said it had been the presenter’s choice to step down. Sources said she had decided to leave before Dame Jenni’s announcement and the two departures were not connected. But there will be inevitable speculation about whether the BBC will bring in young presenters to replace them. Miss Garvey will host her own interview series on Radio 4 next year. The Fortunately podcast she co-hosts with Fi Glover is also being put into the Radio 4 schedule. A prominent voice on the issue of equal pay at the broadcaster, she said of Woman’s Hour yesterday: ‘There’s no other job like it. The programme still talks about the subjects and challenges no one else goes near.’

Among those who could replace her are Desert Island Discs host Lauren Laverne and Radio 5 Live host Emma Barnett. The BBC said new presenters will be announced in due course.