Newsreader Joanne swaps channels

Central Tonight presenter Joanne Malin today announced she is to move to the BBC, after quitting her job with ITV.

Malin, who was co-presenter of the flagship ITV regional news show for a decade, is to move to BBC WM where she will host a new mid-morning radio show from 9.30am until noon from February. Veteran presenter Ed Doolan, who currently presents the 10am until 1pm slot, will be moving to a new lunchtime show.

It is understood he will be on from noon until 2pm and it is thought that Les Ross, who is currently on from 1pm until 4pm will also lose an hour off his show, which will be moved to 2pm.

Joanne, who lives in Alvechurch, Worcestershire, presents her last show on Central on October 31.

News of her move to the BBC came in the wake of plans announced by ITV to axe hundreds of jobs across the country. Once settled in, Joanne will also be appearing on Midlands Today and doing some work on the region's current affairs show Inside Out.

She said today: "My first broadcast was actually on BBC WM when I did a month's work experience in 1993 so the fact I am now going back is great. I will be starting in January but won't be on air until February as I have a month's training. It is going to be quite different, I am nervous but also scared and excited. I am really looking forward to chatting to listeners from across the Black Country."

Malin has presented the West Midlands edition of Central Tonight since 1998, partnering Bob Warman in the studio.

She worked as a dancer and appeared in musicals including 42nd Street and Grease before moving into journalism, and lives with her husband Andrew, a hip surgeon based at the city's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.

She will still be entertaining theatre-goers in a performance of Dick Whittington at the Lichfield Garrick theatre this Christmas.