BBC told Kirsty Lang not to 'say goodbye' on leaving Front Row

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The journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Lang has claimed she was told not to "say goodbye" after she decided to step back from presenting BBC Radio 4's Front Row after nearly two decades.

Lang said that while she left the show "voluntarily" and is to present Radio 4's Round Britain Quiz, she was saddened that the broadcaster chose not to formally announce her departure.

Her remarks follow similar complaints from the Rev Richard Coles about the handling of his exit from Saturday Live. In a Twitter post, Lang 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."

She added: "Thanks for the lovely messages from @BBCFrontRow listeners. Just to clarify I left voluntarily. 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."

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

— Kirsty Lang (@thatkirstylang) March 24, 2023

The BBC declined to comment.

The BBC describes Front Row as a "live magazine programme on the world of arts, literature, film, media and music".

Lang, 60, first joined the BBC as a graduate trainee in 1986 and has a long and varied career with the broadcaster with experience as a central European correspondent and reporter, as well as different presenting roles. She has also worked for the Sunday Times as Paris correspondent.

Earlier this week, Coles revealed his disappointment surrounding his own departure from Saturday Live after 12 years in an interview with the Guardian. His departure was caused by the BBC's decision to relocate the programme from London to Cardiff, leaving him unable to continue from Saturday, which will be his final show.

Both Coles and his co-host Nikki Bedi were offered to continue from Cardiff but Coles declined. Bedi will continue to present the show from the new location.

Despite the decision for him to step down having been taken weeks ago - as part of the corporation's wider strategy to move programmes outside London - the broadcaster neglected to make a statement about it until Tuesday, only five days before his final show.

When the BBC did announce it, it was with minimal fanfare, flagged to journalists as a brief note in an email accompanying a press release about the content of this weekend's Saturday Live, with Coles' departure failing to earn a dedicated announcement.

When Ken Bruce left his BBC Radio 2 morning show after 31 years, the BBC flagged his departure in a statement months in advance of his final show and released pictures of his last broadcast, but then decided he should leave a few weeks early.

The BBC praised Coles and said it looked forward to working with him on future projects.