Marr signs off from BBC with Anchorman quip

Journalist Andrew Marr has signed off from his longrunning BBC politics show with a line from his “mentor” – Anchorman character Ron Burgundy.

The veteran broadcaster is leaving the BBC after more than two decades, including 16 years at the helm of his own Sunday morning show.

Bringing his final programme to a close, he said: “That it is, all over, I have been so lucky and so privileged to share so many Sunday mornings with you.”

Referring to the catchphrase of the fictional news anchor played by Will Ferrell in the 2004 hit comedy, he added: “I have been wondering how to close this final show, but I can’t do better than quoting my great mentor:

“You stay classy, San Diego.”

His final programme featured a montage of highlights of the show over the years, including interviews with Tony Blair, Greta Thunberg, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.

Among his final guests were actor David Tennant and Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who both expressed regret at his departure.

Sophie Raworth will serve as the interim presenter of the Sunday morning programme, which will be temporarily retitled Sunday Morning, from January 9.

Marr, who was a pupil at Dundee High School and whose mum still lives in Longforgan, has previously said he will now focus on writing and presenting political and cultural shows for Global, and writing for newspapers.

The 62-year-old said moving to the Londonbased media company offers him a “new freedom” to do “fast-paced, very regular political journalism on LBC with no filter”.

Born in Glasgow in 1959, Mr Marr studied English at Trinity Hall, Cambridge and went on to become a trainee journalist with The Scotsman, where he was subsequently general reporter, business reporter and parliamentary correspondent.

He joined the start-up team of The Independent as political correspondent in 1986. He has also been political editor of The Economist and Scotsman, and chief commentator of The Independent and editor from 1996-98.

Mr Marr was also a political columnist for The Observer and Express from 1998-2000, political editor of the BBC from 2000-2005, has hosted Start The Week from 2002-2021 and The Andrew Marr Show (2005-2021).

He is also the author of 12 books on subjects including history, biography, political theory, fiction and art. Awards include two RTS and two Baftas, “book of the year” for non-fiction plus six awards for political journalism and two radio awards. He is married to Jackie Ashley, president of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, and has three children.

Andrew Marr and his mother Valerie after he was awarded an honorary doctorate at St Andrews University earlier this month.

FINAL BOW: Andrew Marr finished his last BBC show with a quote from his “mentor”, Anchorman movie character Ron Burgundy.