The BBC has appointed a “thoughtful and courageous” editor to lead its flagship current affairs programme Panorama.
Rachel Jupp, who has been Newsnight’s deputy editor since 2013, will be the first female editor of Panorama since Glenwyn Benson ran the programme for three years from 1992.
Rachel’s new role was confirmed by Director of BBC News and Current Affairs James Harding, who commended her for her “outstanding” work on Newsnight.
He said: “She is a determined, thoughtful and courageous editor who I know will ensure that Panorama remains the pre-eminent place on British television for investigations and revelatory story-telling.”
Rachel said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining the country’s most important investigative current affairs programme, at a time when good journalism has never been more necessary.”
She added that she has “watched and loved Panorama all my adult life” and is keen to work with “the hugely talented team”.
Rachel also praised her Newsnight colleagues and Newsnight editor Ian Katz, who encouraged her to switch sides to work at the BBC after a successful stint at Channel 4 News.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The new editor of @BBCPanorama is current deputy @bbcnewsnight editor @racheljupp pic.twitter.com/s0DXrIwhFs
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) September 7, 2016
She said: “It’s been a great privilege to work with Ian Katz and the team at Newsnight over the last three years and I’ll miss them all. The programme has gone from strength to strength, breaking important stories and providing the best analysis. I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had on Newsnight.”
BBC head of current affairs Joanna Carr added: “Panorama is the biggest beast in the current affairs jungle, and I’m delighted that we have appointed a journalist of Rachel’s calibre to this important position.”
Prior to her Newsnight role, Rachel was the Head of Home News at Channel 4, where she had been since 2006 in various roles including producer and deputy online editor.
She will be taking over the Panorama position from Ceri Thomas, who has been at the helm of the programme from 2014.
Earlier this year he announced he would be leaving the BBC to take on a public affairs and communications role at Oxford University.
He had been a fixture at the BBC for nearly 25 years, and in 2012 became Acting Deputy Director of News at the BBC.
In-depth current affairs programme Panorama was first broadcast on the BBC in 1953, making it the world’s longest-running investigative TV show.
The half-hour show airs at 8.30pm on Monday nights on BBC One.
