BBC poaches ITN newsreader Nicholas Owen

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Nicholas Owen is moving to the BBC

Veteran news presenter Nicholas Owen is to quit ITV after two decades to join the BBC.

Owen, who is 60-years-old in February, will leave his role as presenter on ITV Lunchtime News after four years, to become a presenter on News 24, the corporation's digital rolling news channel.

The presenter, who has fronted all of ITN's major bulletins over the last 10 years - including the News at Ten and Channel 4 News , will quit the broadcaster in February.

Owen, who has been at ITV News for more than 10 years, has signed a one-year deal with the BBC believed to be worth in the region of £75,000.

He is set to take up his presenting duties, which will see him front about 100 shows a year, on News 24 from the end of February.

He will be replaced on ITV's lunchtime news by Alastair Stewart, who will co-present the bulletin with Katie Derham.

Owen became a household name as ITV News' royal correspondent between 1994 and 2000 and played a major part in reporting on the death and funeral of Princess Diana, even writing a book about her called Diana - The People's Princess.

The presenter, who recently appeared as a contestant on BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing, said: "I'm 60-years old in February and it was time to make a decision about the future." "ITN, for whom I have worked for 22-years, had offered me continued employment here. But I also had an offer from the BBC at the same time - saying would you consider working for us for a year or two."

He added: "But I decided it was time for a new challenge - I have always wanted to stretch myself. I thought here was the chance to have another go. To join their line up of presenters is a big opportunity."

"At my age to have two people say - what about working for us - is amazing. In the end it was a terrifically difficult decision for me because I have loved my time at ITN. It has been the most fantastic place to work for me."

"I started my broadcasting career with the BBC and so it's great to be able to go back."

An ITV source said: "It's one of those things where he is getting on for 60, there's nowhere else for him to go at ITN. It's not that he is unhappy but this has come out of the blue and he's thought about it hard and it's fine."

The presenter, who has been at ITN for over 22 years, originally joined the news provider in 1984 as Channel 4 News' business and economics correspondent. He began his broadcasting career at the BBC in 1981 as a reporter in the north of England after working as as a print journalist in Fleet Street.

Owen was diagnosed with cancer in the summer 2002 but was back on air later that year after doctors caught the disease affecting his kidney at an early stage.

 

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