Ex-Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis to co-host Channel 4’s UK election coverage

By Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporter

Former Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis will co-host Channel 4’s UK general election coverage, the broadcaster has announced.

In 2022, Maitlis, 53, revealed she was leaving the BBC and the journalist now co-hosts The News Agents podcast alongside Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall.

The former BBC newsreader was recently portrayed on screen in the Netflix movie Scoop, which details the events around her Newsnight interview with the Duke of York in which she grilled him about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Maitlis will present the election special alongside Channel 4 News presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

She said: “I’m delighted to be bringing The News Agents to the heart of Channel 4 on this important night – and to work with such an incredible cast of people. I cannot wait.”

Throughout the night, the duo will be joined by The Rest is Politics podcast hosts Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, as well as some familiar faces from the reality TV show Gogglebox.

Elsewhere, broadcaster Cathy Newman will present from the Labour and Conservative campaign HQs while TV presenter Clare Balding will break down the data as it comes in.

Channel 4 News political editor Gary Gibbon will deliver analysis and a team of reporters will be at key counts across the country to capture the drama as the results are declared.

Guru-Murthy, 54, said: “I’m so looking forward to joining this brilliant line-up of people to capture an exciting and historic night.

“We will have piercing analysis, sharp interviews and all those memorable moments as the results come in.

“I think this is going to be one of those rare election nights we remember for decades so I hope viewers will enjoy spending it with us.”

Stewart, 51, said: “I’m really looking forward to bringing the podcast to life on TV with Alastair live on Channel 4.

“Hopefully we can still disagree agreeably even in the heat of the electoral madness.”

Campbell, 66, added: “The success and continuing growth of The Rest Is Politics podcast has shown there is a huge appetite for serious sensible debate and on what promises to be one of the most important and exciting election nights in many a year I am delighted that Rory Stewart and I will be part of Channel 4’s coverage.”

Louisa Compton, Channel 4’s head of news and current affairs and specialist factual and sport said: “I am delighted we have managed to bring together such a stellar line-up of some of the country’s leading political presenters and commentators ensuring Channel 4 is going to be the go-to destination for first-class analysis on election night.”

The date of the next UK general election has yet to be announced. The British local elections will take place on May 2nd.