Kirsty Wark is set to stand down from presenting Newsnight on the BBC after the next election. 

The presenter, who joined the show in 1993, said it will be a “massive wrench” to leave and that it had been an “enormous privilege to be involved in such a rigorous, creative programme”.

Ms Wark made the announcement three decades to the day since her first broadcast. 

She said that she will continue working for the BBC, presenting programmes including The Reunion and Start The Week.

“Today I am celebrating 30 years presenting Newsnight. It is an enormous privilege to be involved in such a rigorous, creative programme with a wonderful, talented, bunch of colleagues – actually many bunches over the years, led, most recently by Esme Wren, followed by Stewart Maclean,” she said. 

“There’s not a day when I don’t look forward to coming to the office, and every day I learn something from the team about all manner of things, from aspects of American foreign policy to how to make a great mojito.

“Last year I spoke to both to the Director General Tim Davie and to Stewart and signalled my desire to end my three decade run on the show after the next election, and that’s the plan.   

“When the time comes it will be a massive wrench. However, I’ll be leaving Newsnight but not the BBC. I’ll still be presenting The Reunion and Start the Week on Radio 4, TV documentaries too as well as finishing, finally, my third novel. There are exciting times ahead.”