Channel 4 News presenter and investigations editor Cathy Newman is leaving the programme after 20 years to “return to Westminster” for Sky News.
Sky said Newman will front its 7pm flagship daily politics slot, present a podcast and work on long-form investigations and documentaries.
Sky News is bolstering its politics output to support its pivot, announced at the start of last year, from focusing on breaking, live TV news towards premium video across digital platforms.
It said Newman’s original investigative journalism would also be a key part of this evolution.
Newman was named Journalist of the Year and Interviewer of the Year at the British Journalism Awards in December for her eight-year investigation into an abuse scandal in the Church of England and her exclusive interview with Justin Welby that led to the first ever forced resignation by an Archbishop.
Her work also contributed to Channel 4 News being named News Provider of the Year.
Sky News executive chairman David Rhodes said: “Cathy has broken some of Britain’s biggest stories and brings a clear, engaging style that audiences trust and we’re delighted to welcome her to Sky News.
“Our future plan requires just the kind of premium investigative and political expertise that Cathy will bring to our team.”
Sophy Ridge, who previously presented the 7pm politics slot, started hosting a new Sky News breakfast show with Wilfred Frost in November.
Details about when Newman will join Sky News, or the launch date and other information about her new programme and podcast, have not yet been announced.
Newman said: “There couldn’t be a more exhilarating time to return to Westminster, and I’m hugely looking forward to bringing in exclusive interviews and investigations on a brand new programme, and launching a podcast too.
“It’s been a total privilege working on Channel 4 News for exactly two decades. In that time I’ve interviewed eight Prime Ministers past and present, covered five General Election campaigns, attended 19 party conference seasons, and broken stories that saw the Archbishop of Canterbury quit for the first time in history and an investigation that led to British paedophile Simon Harris being jailed.
“I’ll miss my talented Channel 4 News colleagues enormously, but as Mary Shelley once wrote: ‘the beginning is always today’. And I can’t wait to begin again.”
On Tuesday, Channel 4 News announced it had hired Times head of investigations Paul Morgan-Bentley as head of forensic journalism. It said he would be “working alongside award-winning investigations editor Cathy Newman”.
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