Image copyright Annabel Staff/Classic FM Image caption Moira Stuart is joining Classic FM

Moira Stuart is joining radio station Classic FM as a newsreader and to host a new show.

She has been at the BBC for over 40 years, having briefly left in 2007 over what was perceived as an ageism row.

Stuart then returned in 2010 as Chris Evans' newsreader and to present her own music show on Radio 2.

Her new role at Classic FM will involve reading the news on weekday mornings and weekend presenting.

From February, she will read the news for Tim Lihoreau on the breakfast show and then on the morning programme with John Suchet.

Stuart, 69, will also present a Saturday afternoon show from July next year.

She said in a statement: "I couldn't be more excited and delighted to be joining the Classic FM family.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to take a whole new journey, with people I really like and admire."

Lewis Carnie, head of BBC Radio 2, said in a statement: "We'd like to thank Moira for being such a much-loved part of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show team for the past nine years and wish her the very best of luck for the future."

Image caption Stuart presenting the news in 1981

Stuart started her career as a production assistant at the BBC in the 1970s, moving to BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2 as a continuity announcer and newsreader, moving to television news in 1981.

She has previously presented the news on Sunday AM with Andrew Marr and BBC Breakfast, along with presenting weekend bulletins on BBC One.

Stuart left the BBC in 2007 when it was announced she was leaving Sunday AM, amid accusations from within the industry that she had been cut from the show because of her age.

This was denied at the time by the then director general of the BBC, Mark Thompson.

However, Stuart then returned to the organisation in 2010 as Chris Evans' newsreader on his breakfast show and as the presenter of her own late night music show.

Stuart broadcast her last bulletins on Chris Evans' show on 14 December.

Evans, whose last show on BBC Radio 2 will take place on Christmas Eve, is taking a number of his current staff with him to his new breakfast show on Virgin.

Sports reporter Vassos Alexander and executive producer Ellie Davis are joining him, as well as producer Meera Depala and guest booker John Dutton.

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