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She’s began so she’ll end! BBC star Sally Magnusson to step down from flagship present after 27 years

She has been a reassuring teatime presence on Scotland’s screens for nearly three decades.

Sally Magnusson has presented the news of the deaths of the Queen, Prince Philip and First Minister Donald Dewar as well as anchoring coverage of ‘countless’ elections.

But now she is to step down from her role at the helm of the BBC’s flagship Reporting Scotland bulletin after 27 years.

The 69-year-old broadcaster took over presenting duties in 1998 and said that leaving the show will be a ‘real wrench’ after a career covering some of the UK’s biggest news events.

Colleagues and BBC bosses have paid tribute to her ‘authority, warmth and gentle sense of humour’ as it was announced she will present the show for the last time in April.

But the veteran journalist has no plans to retire altogether as she will be concentrating on her work as an author and in raising awareness of dementia after losing her mother Mamie to Alzheimer’s in 2012.

She presented the acclaimed BBC documentary Alzheimer’s, A Cure and Me last year, and will also continue to work as a freelance television presenter and journalist.

Yesterday Ms Magnusson said: ‘Leaving Reporting Scotland will be a real wrench after 27 years.

Television presenter Sally Magnusson has announced she is retiring

Television presenter Sally Magnusson has announced she is retiring

Ms Magnusson at the start of her career in television in the 1980s

Ms Magnusson at the start of her career in television in the 1980s

Ms Magnusson with her late father, Magnus, the former Mastermind presenter

Ms Magnusson with her late father, Magnus, the former Mastermind presenter

‘I’ll miss the buzz and challenges of live news presentation, which I’ve always adored.

‘But although my focus now turns to a growing writing career, an expanding family, and my work around dementia, I’m also looking forward to maintaining links with the BBC as a freelance broadcaster.’

Ms Magnusson, a mother-of-five and daughter of the legendary Mastermind presenter Magnus Magnusson, began her career as a newspaper reporter before moving into broadcasting.

She started out on BBC Scotland’s Current Account programme and also had roles on Sixty Minutes, London Plus and Breakfast.

When she joined Reporting Scotland in 1998, the BBC was based at Queen Margaret Drive in Glasgow’s West End but she stayed on when it moved to a new headquarters at Pacific Quay.

The highlights of her on-screen career have including covering the deaths of dignitaries and the late Queen, the tragedy in Glasgow when 10 people died after a helicopter crashed into the Clutha pub and fronting live tributes from France during the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

She currently anchors Reporting Scotland twice a week as well as working on other programmes including presenting Sunday Mornings on BBC Radio Scotland and Panorama and Songs of Praise on television.

Her work with Playlist for Life, the charity she founded to use music to help people with dementia, earned her an MBE in 2023.

Gary Smith, Head of News and Current Affairs at BBC Scotland, said: ‘Sally is an outstanding journalist, broadcaster, and writer.

‘She has skilfully guided viewers through countless big and sometimes difficult stories and the teatime audience will miss her hugely – as will all of us who have worked with her over the years.’