A long-standing presenter has announced she is leavingand moving to rival .
Beginning her career as a stage actress before moving to children’s TV, then game show BrainTeaser, before eventually joining BBC Points West in 2005, Alex Lovell has been the .
But after 18 years at the helm, she’s now announced she’s stepping down.
In the ‘huge’ career move, the broadcaster on ITV’s Westcountry news bulletins, joining Sabet ‘Seb’ Choudhury as co-host in January.
The pair previously presented together on the BBC before Seb moved to ITV last year.
Announcing the news on X, formerly Twitter, Alex shared: ‘After 18 years presenting BBC Points West I have taken the huge decision to leave at the end of November. Thank you to all my amazing colleagues and lovely viewers for all the love, laughs and tears – we’ve shared it all haven’t we.’
‘I am super excited to be joining ITV West Country in December and I will be in the studio with my lovely friend Seb Choudhury in January,’ she added.
The news was also confirmed by ITV News’ Ian Axton, who shared on the same platform: ‘Really delighted that Alex Lovell will be joining ITV Westcountry from January to present our programmes alongside Sabet Choudhury. What a team!’’
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson shared that Alex was a ‘treasured’ member of BBC Points West who had been loved by audiences and colleagues alike.
‘We’d like to thank her for all she has done for the BBC over the last two decades. She’s a natural at what she does, and we wish her luck for the future,’ they wrote.
Earlier this year, Alex threw herself into an unexpected role on the job, to rescue a baby bird.
Just moments before going to air, the newsreader was captured on camera climbing up a ladder to rescue the creature.
While climbing the ladder, she joked: ‘Disclaimer, I won’t sue anybody’, before making her way over the pipes and into the corner of the roof where the bird was chirping.
She then disappeared from view to pick up the bird and set it free as crew could be heard clapping.
Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment.
