BBC presenter 'denied a goodbye' after quitting show after 19 years

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A BBC radio presenter has confirmed she has left a show she was part of for 19 years, saying she was "sad" she didn't say a proper goodbye to her listeners.

Kirsty Lang confirmed she'd quit her BBC Radio 4 show, Front Row and insisted she did so "voluntarily".

However, she criticised the company for not announcing her departure to her listeners and persuading her not to say her goodbyes.

Taking to Twitter, broadcaster and writer Kirsty said: "Like @revrichardcoles I also feel sad that @bbcradio4 never announced my exit from @bbcfrontrow & persuaded me not to say goodbye to listeners after 19 years of presenting.

Fans were quick to defend the presenter, with producer Giles Paley-Phillips saying: "So sorry, that's awful."

Another follower slammed the BBC's decision, writing: "It's almost as if the powers that be don't understand the relationship between presenter and audience at all!

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"As a listener you feel you are hearing the voice of a good friend. Would you want your friend to move away and not say goodbye? Such contempt for the listener."

Kirsty then took the time to thank those leaving her comments and to clarify what is next for her.

"Thanks for the lovely messages from @BBCFrontRow listeners," she wrote. "Just to clarify I left voluntarily."

And confirming she is staying with the company, she added: "My lament was the lack of an official announcement or goodbye but I'm now very happy to be the new presenter of Round Britain Quiz."

Her comments echoed those of Rev Richard Coles, who had said he was disappointed by his "rushed" exit from his Radio 4 show after 12 years.

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Earlier this week he revealed the main reason behind his departure was the company's decision to relocate the programme from London to Cardiff.

Despite over a decade of hosting the show, his exit failed to earn its own announcement and was instead detailed in a general statement about Saturday Live's content for this weekend.

Expressing his disappointment, Coles told The Guardian said: "If you leave a programme after 12 years, a gentler process would have been nice. But what happens happens.

"It just feels a little bit rushed. It's been frustrating for me having to wait for an announcement, and now it's my last programme on Saturday. I'd rather have had a longer goodbye to listeners."

"It just feels a bit sad. I'm sorry to go; I've loved the programme, I've loved the people I've worked with, and it's been a big part of my life. I shall miss it."

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