Julia Hartley-Brewer has announced she is leaving TalkTV after a decade, with her final broadcast on the flagship morning show expected to take place on Thursday, November 19. Journalist Alex Phillips has been named as her successor.
A decade on air
Hartley-Brewer, 58, said in a statement on Thursday that broadcasting on Talk over the past ten years had been "a privilege and a pleasure." She added that she was "incredibly proud of what we have created together over ten wonderful years."
Reflecting on her time at the station, she described it as "a rollercoaster ride of news since 2016, starting with Brexit and Trump, through Covid and lockdowns, as well as wars in Westminster and overseas," adding that she had loved every minute both on and off air.
She thanked her colleagues and the behind-the-scenes team, as well as the station's listeners and viewers, saying: "I want to thank my brilliant colleagues and all the unsung heroes behind the scenes, but most of all I want to say a huge thank you to our army of loyal listeners and viewers who have tuned in every day to laugh, argue and cut through the spin with me."
Replacement announced
Hartley-Brewer also expressed confidence in the station's future, stating: "Talk remains in brilliant hands with a phenomenal production team, and I wish the station every success as it moves from strength to strength."
Following the announcement, Alex Phillips released a statement of her own, saying: "Julia is a genuine broadcasting titan and following in her footsteps is a tremendous honour."
Phillips added: "Talk has built a unique, vital space for open debate where common sense comes first, and I couldn't be more thrilled to take the helm at the mid-morning show." She also said she was looking forward to holding the government and the wider political class to account.
The broadcaster did not give a specific reason for her departure.
