Humphrys to sign off after 32 years

JOHN HUMPHRYS had some late news for listeners of the Today programme yesterday: he should have gone years ago.

The broadcaster, who has worked on the Radio 4 morning show for 32 years, announced he would step down in the autumn, though he will continue to host Mastermind on TV.

“Obviously I should have gone years ago, but I love doing the programme,” Humphrys told his former co-presenter, Sarah Montague, on The World at One.

“I worry about missing the programme, and I do now. I genuinely worry about what it is going to be like not doing the Today programme – 32 years is a very long time,” he added.

Humphrys, 75, said the show had dominated his life and his obsession with the news had left little room for other ambitions.

“You have to be obsessed – I think that’s the right word – with what’s going on out there. There are so many things you think, ‘Oh I could have done this, I could have done that’ and I’m never going to do them if I stay on this programme,” he added.

Two years ago, he agreed to a pay cut following the publication of BBC performers’ pay which showed him to be earning more than £600,000.

Fran Unsworth, the BBC’s director of news, said: “Anyone who’s played a key role in the political events of the last three decades has been interviewed by John.

“But most importantly, he has always been a champion of his listeners, holding the powerful to account on their behalf.”

Not all of them appeared sorry to see him go yesterday, but Humphrys insisted he paid no attention to criticism on social media.

“I really couldn’t care less. Some people are going to like me, some people are not going to like me. If it’s marginally in my favour, that would be nice,” he said.

“I’m not sure I would like me if I was listening to me.”