Got the Humph

So far (0750 hours GMT) the Today review of newspapers and websites has made no mention of the big story, first in the Mail, but now also in The Telegraph and Independent. John Humphrys plans to leave the programme this year. He's vouchsafed the information, not to the BBC Press Office, but to a paper that over the years has paid him for myriad column inches, so it'll be right.

He hasn't handed in notice but ‘I’m assuming it’ll be this year. That’s what I’m assuming, but I haven’t fixed a date . . . It’s not easy to leave a job you’ve been doing for 32 years. It’s more than half my professional life.’

The vacancy, sadly, will now dominate the questioning of would-be Controllers of Radio 4. Meanwhile, tributes from a devoted audience are already flooding in...

Pleased to hear that, to mark John Humphrys’ retirement, K-tel are releasing a Greatest Hits compilation, including classics like “If the climate is changing why did I have to de-ice my car this morning?” and “Ireland can leave the EU too and that solves the problem doesn’t it?”

— Erroneous Monk (@consol8ion) February 6, 2019