Andrew Neil Joins Rupert Murdoch’s Times Radio For UK, U.S. Elections After Holding Channel 4 Talks

Jake Kanter
·2 min read
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Andrew Neil is reuniting with Rupert Murdoch’s media empire to host UK and U.S. election coverage.

The former BBC presenter and chairman of The Spectator magazine has signed with Times Radio, the established digital radio station launched as a spin-off of The Times newspaper.

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Neil will host a daily news show from September 9. It will air in the 1PM slot from Monday to Thursday and feature interviews with high-profile politicians and influential figures.

Neil has a long history of working for Murdoch interests in the UK. He was the founding chairman of Sky (now owned by Comcast) and was editor of The Sunday Times for more than a decade.

Deadline hears that Neil has taken up his role at Times Radio after he held talks with Channel 4 over a potential election night role.

Sources close to the presenter said he discussed a co-presenter role, with a loose ambition for Neil to interview big political beasts as votes were counted.

Neil performed a similar function for the BBC, but there was a feeling Channel 4 may not be able to attract as high a caliber of guest as his old employer on election night.

Sources familiar with Channel 4’s thinking said the broadcaster is keen to hero Krishnan Guru-Murthy after his star has risen following his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing last year.

Guru-Murthy will present Channel 4’s election night coverage with Emily Maitlis, The News Agents podcast co-host who conducted the Prince Andrew interview immortalized by Netflix film Scoop.

The date of the British election remains uncertain, with prime minister Rishi Sunak only committing to it taking place in the second half of 2024.

Neil hosted three seasons of The Andrew Neil Show for Channel 4, but it is unlikely that the series will return as the broadcaster keeps a tight rein on content spend amid an ad market downturn.

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