Simon McCoy has been revealed as the newest addition to GB News, following his departure from the BBC.
On Thursday morning, it was announced that Simon was celebrating his final day at BBC News after almost 18 years with the broadcaster.
Following the news of his departure, GB News chair Andrew Neil – another former BBC journalist, who stepped down from the corporation last year – revealed that Simon would be joining him at GB News later in the year.
Responding to the news of Simon’s BBC exit, Andrew tweeted: “Oh yes. @BBCSimonMcCoy is joining @GBNEWS... another great hire!!”
A GB News press release revealed that Simon will be hosting an afternoon show on the station.
The forthcoming station’s director of news and programmes John McAndrew said: “Simon’s journalistic integrity, warmth and personality is a perfect for what we’re doing at GB News.
“He’s a brilliant journalist with an exceptional ability to relate to people in an upbeat way so we’re keen to get him our from behind a desk and talking to people from all parts of the United Kingdom.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Simon McCoy’s agent for additional comment.
GB News is a new 24-hour news channel which is launching later this year, which bosses have said is aimed at the “vast number of British people who feel underserved and unheard by their media”.
As Andrew Neil wrote recently in the Sunday Express: “I believe the direction of news debate in Britain is increasingly woke and out of touch with the majority of its people. I believe our national conversation has become too metropolitan, too southern and too middle-class.
“Some journalists and commentators seem too confident that their liberal-left assumptions must surely be shared by every sensible person in the land. But many of those same sensible people are fed up. They feel left out and unheard.
“There’s a restlessness, a sense that they’re being talked down to; that much of the media no longer reflects their values or shares their concerns. GB News is aimed squarely at those people.”
Other recruits so far include The Sun’s executive editor Dan Wootton, journalist and political commentator Inaya Folarin Iman, former Brexit Party member Alexandra Phillips and former Apprentice contestant Michelle Dewberry.
It’s also been heavily rumoured that Piers Morgan will be joining the station, following his much-publicised exit from Good Morning Britain earlier this month.
Andrew Neil recently said he’d be “delighted” to set up a meeting with Piers, stating: “[He] would be a huge asset to GB News and we’ll definitely look at that… we haven’t started any negotiations yet but we would certainly be delighted to talk to him if he’s up for it.”
GB News is expected to launch later this year.