BBC Scotland presenter Anne McAlpine has announced she is leaving her role after 14 years. McAlpine, 40, has become one of BBC Scotland's leading hosts, fronting its flagship news programme Reporting Scotland. She announced she is leaving her role and "heading into a new chapter".
Departure amid major job cuts
Her exit comes after it was revealed the corporation plans to axe up to 2,000 jobs – around 10% of its workforce – to deliver £500 million in savings over the next two years.
"I'm leaving my permanent role with news at the end of next week and heading into a new chapter, with a huge amount of gratitude for the people, friendships, adventures and memories that have made it so special," McAlpine wrote on Instagram.
"There have been elections and documentaries, Eòrpa and An Là, farms and parliaments, planes and boats, live television and long days in places I never expected to find myself — from Chernobyl to the Calais camp."
Reflections on a varied career
She continued: "I've covered news, weather, politics, sport, culture and rural life, collected an impressive number of hats, and accumulated more tales than I know what to do with.
"It's been a blast. I've learned an enormous amount, laughed, cried, travelled further than I ever could have imagined and met my wonderful husband along the way.
"I've also somehow made it through 14 years' worth of BBC passwords.
"Thank you to everyone who's been part of it — colleagues, contributors, friends and all those who made the long days worthwhile. And of course, thank you to everyone who watched, listened and supported."
Future plans and wider uncertainty
The presenter added that she will continue working in broadcasting as a freelancer and has a new project coming out with BBC Alba. "So this is very much a see you soon rather than goodbye," the journalist and weather presenter concluded.
The future of the BBC Scotland channel faces uncertainty, with reports suggesting it will be made an online-only channel alongside BBC Three in a bid to save money, although this is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, it was revealed that nearly 50,000 Scots stopped paying their TV licence fee over the past year.
Former BBC Scotland business and economy editor Douglas Fraser slammed the broadcaster for the cuts, warning that more stars are in the "firing line". "Uncertainty is high: morale is low. Nine people are senior presenters at present. When the music stops, there will be seven seats left," Fraser wrote in a Substack post.
"Among those in the firing line are the ubiquitous Martin Geissler, radio veterans Gary Robertson and Hayley Millar, Fiona Stalker, who was previously a reporter in Aberdeen, plus 'all the Lauras': Goodwin, Maciver, Maxwell and Miller."
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "As announced earlier this year, the BBC needs to save at least £500million over the next three years across the organisation. BBC Scotland is making proportionate savings, and a review across all of our departments is ongoing as part of the process."
