Veteran television journalist Jeremy Thompson has announced he will be retiring at the end of the year.
After more than 40 years as a broadcast journalist and on-location reporter, he is now best known for anchoring the early evening programme on Sky News.
Jeremy confirmed the news via a post on his Twitter page, writing: “Just to let you know I’m retiring from @SkyNews at the end of the year. After 23 years at Sky & 50 years as a journo, time for a gap year!”
During his decades-long career, Jeremy has also worked for the BBC and ITV, before starting his tenure at Sky as a foreign correspondent in 1993.
The 66-year-old said of his departure: “As a few of you have been politely enquiring about my future plans, I thought it was a good time to let you know that I really am retiring from Sky News at the end of the year.”
He added, in an internal email sent around to his colleagues, that he feels it is time for him to step aside in order to make space for “burgeoning young talent on this channel”.
Just to let you know I'm retiring from @SkyNews at the end of the year. After 23 years at Sky & 50 years as a journo, time for a gap year!
— Jeremy Thompson (@JTSkyNews) September 6, 2016
He added: “I’ve had a great run and I’ve been very proud to play a part in building Sky News into one of the great brands in television journalism.”
John Ryley, Head of Sky News, praised Jeremy as “a master of his craft”.
“His career has been an extraordinary achievement that few journalists have equalled,” he added.
“I have learned much from him; his deft handling of the most sensitive situations, his gut instinct for what the real story is, and his mass appeal to our viewers who trust him to bring them the latest news from wherever he happens to be in the world.
“He leaves the strongest of legacies and I, along with all my colleagues at Sky, will miss him a great deal.”
During his career, Jeremy has covered five US elections and will leave Sky News this year after his sixth.
Cheers Alan. https://t.co/B44Em4gRaw
— Jeremy Thompson (@JTSkyNews) September 6, 2016
Cheers Andy. https://t.co/OKjJJywacB
— Jeremy Thompson (@JTSkyNews) September 6, 2016
'So Why So Sad' - 'Everything Must Go' ! https://t.co/7TMNuFaYmU
— Jeremy Thompson (@JTSkyNews) September 6, 2016
Cheers John. https://t.co/FQK3RB9Ab6
— Jeremy Thompson (@JTSkyNews) September 6, 2016
Thanks Julie - always a joy working with you. https://t.co/hJTMFnC5Vh
— Jeremy Thompson (@JTSkyNews) September 6, 2016
He has also covered nine British general elections, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Soham murders, the 2015 Paris attacks, the death of Nelson Mandela and the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius.
Jeremy has also received several major awards during his time as a TV reporter and anchor, including three Emmys from the US Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, three Baftas and the Royal Television Society award for Sky’s coverage of the Kosovo conflict.
