Leicestershire’s beloved BBC newsreader, Martine Croxall, will have to go through a reapplication process for her previous job, according to recent reports. Martine, who hails from Stoke Golding near Hinckley, has been absent from the screen for several months following the channel’s rebrand last year.
Martine, along with four other former BBC News Channel presenters, hasn’t been seen on air since March 2023 due to the channel’s rebrand. Despite teasing a potential comeback, it has now emerged that she must reapply for her former position.
Insiders revealed that the future is uncertain for Martine and her colleagues Karin Giannone, Geeta Guru-Murthy, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh. It remains unclear whether or not they are expected to go through another recruitment process for the positions they had previously applied for in 2022. Sources suggest that if they are denied reinstatement, they may be offered a correspondent or presenter role within the corporation, which would be considered a demotion for seasoned news anchors.
These developments come nearly a year after Martine was last seen in the anchor’s seat. She had regularly hosted the 11am to 1pm slot on the BBC News Channel before the channel’s rebrand, which involved merging with BBC World News.
Martine was also known for her role as one of the hosts of the now-discontinued show, The Papers, where she encountered controversy during a breaking news segment about former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s withdrawal from the Tory leadership race. Some viewers accused her of displaying bias, to which she admitted to feeling gleeful about the news. In response, the BBC conducted an investigation, citing a risk of her expressing personal opinions. However, Martine was eventually reinstated.
Despite her absence from the screen, Martine confirmed her ongoing affiliation with the BBC and repeatedly assured her Twitter followers of her imminent return. Just last month, she expressed her hopes for a more positive year ahead compared to the challenges she faced in the previous year.
However, latest reports suggest that her return may be in jeopardy. Only two chief presenter roles are said to be available, one due to Yalka Hakim’s departure to Sky News after initially securing one of the roles that Martine and her colleagues missed out on last year. The second position is a newly created role.
A BBC insider expressed disbelief among staff members regarding the requirement for the presenters to reapply, given that their skills and abilities are already well known.
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