SCOTTISH broadcaster Eddie Mair has announced he will retire later this year.
The 56-year-old has hosted the weekday Drivetime programme on LBC – Global’s commercial news and talk radio station.
Mair, who previously worked on a variety of BBC radio and television programmes, has said he will step down from his role in August this year, on his four-year anniversary of joining LBC.
The broadcaster said: “My only regret about LBC is not joining sooner. I’m having a ball and all things being equal would probably carry on forever. They love radio at Global and support it.
“But the one thing I don’t have on my side is time. Like many others, during Covid I had a rethink about life and in the summer of 2020 told my bosses and close friends and colleagues about my plans to leave.
“I’ve been at this for 40 years and I want to have a little time for me before I croak. So I will carry on as a devoted LBC listener but pass things on to someone new and I wish them all the best.”
The Scotsman began his career at Radio Tay, a local radio station in his home city of Dundee, where he hosted the breakfast show, weekly phone-ins and news programmes.
Mair joined the BBC in 1987 as a sub-editor for Radio Scotland and later joined Radio Five Live after its launch in 1994, presenting the Midday with Mair news show.
In 2003 he became the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s evening news and current affairs programme PM, a role he held for 20 years.
He also occasionally presented Newsnight on BBC Two and Any Questions on Radio 4.
He left the BBC in August 2018 before joining LBC where he hosts the weekday afternoon show from 4-6pm.
His show was recently cut by an hour to accommodate Andrew Marr's new programme.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel