Image caption Matt Allwright, Nikki Fox and Steph McGovern have hosted Watchdog from Salford since 2017

The BBC's long-running consumer rights series Watchdog is to end as a standalone programme, instead becoming part of The One Show.

Watchdog began in 1980 as a strand of Nationwide, but proved so popular it became a separate programme in 1985.

Co-host Steph McGovern has moved to Channel 4, but Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox will stay to front the new strand.

The BBC said they would investigate viewer complaints all year round rather than for two series a year.

Image caption Alice Beer, Jonathan Maitland, Anne Robinson and Chris Choi on Watchdog in 1995

Alison Kirkham, controller of BBC Factual, said Allwright and Fox would "continue to be the viewers' trusted guide", and would "achieve even greater prominence and success" in raising awareness of consumer rights.

The One Show editor Rob Unsworth said the change would mean that "more than ever the team can react on behalf of consumers whenever stories come up".

Image caption Husband and wife John Stapleton and Lynn Faulds Wood are among the past presenters

Previous Watchdog hosts include Anne Robinson, Nick Ross, Lynne Faulds Wood and Nicky Campbell.

More recently, it has been on air for 12 episodes per year. The 42nd and most recent series attracted an average of 3.1 million viewers per episode. Watchdog will be incorporated into The One Show this spring.

The news comes weeks after the corporation announced that Victoria Derbyshire's investigative BBC Two programme will end as a result of cuts to BBC News.

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