Was Humphrys to Blame for Stourton's Departure?

Was Humphrys to Blame for Stourton's Departure?

Iain Dale 8:00 AM

Back when Mark Damazer got the job as Radio 4 controller, a certain Edward Stourton greeted the news in an article by Tim Luckhurst in the Independent on Sunday...

"Today needs a lift and PM has lost its way. Damazer urgently needs to decide who is presenting Today and whether Sarah Montague is a permanent replacement for Sue MacGregor. Edward Stourton is a Damazer fan; he greeted the appointment yesterday as "unalloyed good news". But there is still the question of John Humphrys - who remains one of the great post-Hutton survivors and still raises hackles with his interviewing style."

Stourton and Damazer had been university friends and fellow news trainees at ITN. John Humphrys was quick to phone Stourton to commiserate when he heard the news at the weekend. As well he might. Rumour is that he has just signed a new five year contract which will keep him on the Today Programme just past his 70th birthday. In 2007 he signed a two year deal and commented: "It will definitely be my last. But I have said that for the last four contracts."

So it seems Stourton's departure is directly linked to the fact that John Humphrys fancied one last hurrah.