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BBC ITV Robert Peston

ITV looks to poach BBC's Robert Peston as it attempts to take top spot in 10 o'clock news battle

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By Tony Connelly, Sports Marketing Reporter

September 28, 2015 | 3 min read

ITV has reportedly offered BBC economics editor Robert Peston the role of political editor for its News at Ten bulletin in what is being interpreted as a coup in the industry as the commercial broadcaster attempts to take top spot in the 10 o’clock audience ratings.

The news comes as ITV continues to strengthen its revamped news programme following the appointment of Tom Bradby as sole news anchor for the News at Ten.

Peston is understood to be considering the offer, which he described as “agonising” according to friends, and is likely to announce a decision this week. If he were to accept the offer it would see him rekindle a working relationship with Bradby which began when Peston was the political editor at the Financial Times.

He previously hinted that he would be open to a move from the BBC during a Radio Times interview earlier this year when he said “going from print journalism to the BBC was a big change, and I sort of feel that I wouldn’t mind another big change, but I haven’t the faintest idea what it would be”.

An ITV News spokesperson said that it was “in the middle of a recruitment process for the ITV News political editor role so we won’t be commenting on speculation”.

Interestingly, Peston did not apply for the position of political editor at the BBC this summer, which could signal a desire to move on or a lack of interest in a political editor role.

He joined the BBC as business editor in 2006 where he broke a number of exclusive stories, including Northen Rock asking the government for emergency funding. His success in the role led to him being appointed as economics editor in October 2013 and his popularity has resulted in him taking on a varied role such as fronting a number of documentaries.

The appointment of such an acclaimed BBC presenter would be seen as a significant move for ITV which has suffered heavily to the BBC in the ten o’clock news audience figures over the last few years. The commercially funded broadcaster has made a number of big changes to its News at Ten programme, including the decision to drop Julie Etchingham and Mark Austin as co-presenters and return to its 1990s format of a single news anchor.

ITV also recently announced major changes to its VOD player which will have a centralised focus on live streaming.

BBC ITV Robert Peston

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