[
Laura Kuenssberg will present the BBC’s local and mayoral election results show on 2 May in what has been described as a “rehearsal” for the broadcaster’s general election night programme later this year.
Huw Edwards was due to take over from David Dimbleby as the BBC’s lead elections presenter.
His resignation from the BBC on “medical advice” on Monday has allowed the broadcaster to move ahead with the appointment of new presenters for both the general election and the coveted News at Ten slot.
Kuenssberg is being tipped to front the general election show alongside Clive Myrie, who is also a candidate to take the leading role on the flagship news bulletin.
Sunday Morning politics presenter Kuenssberg will be sole presenter of the overnight programme announcing the results of the elections taking place across England and Wales on 2 May, the BBC said.
Starting at 11:40pm on BBC One, Kuenssberg will guide viewers through the local council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner votes, with the BBC’s network of local correspondents posted at key locations.
However the overnight programme, which ends at 6am on Friday, will not include some of the most eagerly-awaited results. Counting in the London Mayoral election will not take place until Saturday 4 May.
The BBC is putting up a strong line-up for the 2 May show, with Kuenssberg to be joined by Reeta Chakrabarti, another candidate to become lead presenter on the 10pm bulletin, who will “crunch the numbers on her giant screens” in addition to the elections veteran, Professor Sir John Curtice, who will “assess the underlying electoral trends”.
The BBC’s political editor, Chris Mason will analyse what the elections mean for each political party and senior politicians will be on hand to give their verdict on the results in advance of the general election, which is expected to take place later this year.
Stewart Purvis, a former ITN editor who led elections coverage for ITV and Channel 4, said: “These are important elections and the BBC will be using them as a rehearsal to test its technical and editorial plans ahead of the general election.”
BBC insiders said Channel 4 had stolen a march by signing up Emily Maitlis to co-present its general election night programme, with the Rest Is Politics podcast duo of Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart joining a “heavyweight line-up.” Edwards’ departure from the BBC was announced the day after Channel 4 became the first channel to reveal its plans for election coverage.
Mr Purvis said Channel 4 had secured “a smart line-up for its progressive-leaning audience.” But, he said, the BBC should still win the election-night ratings battle.
He said: “Channel 4 will be competitive for the first hour but what usually happens when the results come in is a surge in viewing for the BBC.”
“The BBC has the resources to cover the counts across the UK. Smaller broadcasters who don’t bear the cost of buying into the pooled outside broadcasts have to fill in with studio chat.”
The BBC said it will air a Politics Live Special on Friday 3 May, across BBC One and BBC Two, presented by Jo Coburn, with deputy political editor Vicki Young, as further local and mayoral ballots are counted.
Edwards had been regarded widely as Dimbleby’s successor as the BBC’s lead election host. The departure of the BBC’s highest-paid journalist was expected after his suspension last July, following allegations he had paid a young person for sexually explicit images. His wife said he was being treated for “serious mental health issues”.
Mr Purvis said the BBC’s general election expertise would not be hampered greatly by Edwards’s absence. “He was a leading news anchor rather than a political specialist. It’s the same reason we didn’t have Trevor McDonald leading the ITN election show, domestic politics wasn’t his speciality.”
