BBC reveals Sally Magnusson's replacement as legendary presenter leaves Reporting Scotland
The legendary news anchor presented her last show this month
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THE BBC has announced who will replace Sally Magnusson following her decision to step down after nearly 30 years as a presenter on Reporting Scotland.
The veteran broadcaster, aged 69, confirmed in January that she would be stepping aside after joining the BBC's flagship news programme in 1997.
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BBC newsreader and now author Sally Magnusson spent 27 years at the helm
Credit: BBC Scotland
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Laura Goodwin is set to step up into the role in May
Credit: Jamie Simpson/BBC
Magnusson initially co-hosted the programme alongside Jackie Bird, 62, before later working with Laura Miller, 44.
Today, the Beeb revealed that Laura Goodwin will take over as lead news presenter alongside Miller, following Magnusson's departure after 27 years at the helm.
Goodwin, a South African-born journalist who moved to Scotland at the age of 12, joined the BBC in 2018 as Innovation Correspondent.
Over the years, she has reported on the creativity and ingenuity of Scotland's business and academic sectors, most recently covering the approval of Shetland's spaceport.
Speaking about her appointment, Goodwin said: 'I am delighted to be officially joining the Reporting Scotland presentation team after six years working as a correspondent for the BBC.
"To take over from Sally Magnusson, someone I hold in such high regard, is an incredible honour.
"I look forward to sharing the week, and the Reporting Scotland desk, with the wonderful Laura Miller, delivering the stories that matter to our audience.
"On a personal note, this is an opportunity that, as a once very shy little girl, I could only have dreamt of, and I am looking forward to getting started.'
Gary Smith, Head of News and Current Affairs at BBC Scotland, praised Goodwin, saying: 'Laura is a brilliant addition to the Reporting Scotland team.
"She is a consummate professional who presents with authority, flair, and grace.
"She is also a great journalist and interviewer who gets straight to the heart of a story.'
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A former student of Madras College in St Andrews, Goodwin went on to study Sociology at the University of Edinburgh.
She began her broadcast career at Moray Firth Radio in Inverness before moving to STV in Aberdeen as a presenter and reporter, covering key news stories including the opening of the Queensferry Crossing, the new V&A museum, and the Scottish independence referendum.
Goodwin will take up her new role on Reporting Scotland, presenting on Thursdays and Fridays from next month (May 2025).
Reflecting on her departure, Sally Magnusson previously said: 'Leaving Reporting Scotland will be a real wrench after 27 years. I'll miss the buzz and challenges of live news presentation, which I've always adored.
"But although my focus now turns to a growing writing career, an expanding family, and my work around dementia, I'm also looking forward to maintaining links with the BBC as a freelance broadcaster.'
The journalist and mother of five anchored the programme for the last time in April.
During her career, she has also enjoyed stints on Sunday Mornings with BBC Radio Scotland, as well as featuring in Panorama and Songs of Praise on television.
Her most recent television documentary for BBC Scotland was Alzheimer's, a Cure and Me, which aired last year.
This came after her mother, Mamie Baird, was diagnosed with mixed dementia in 2009.
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Sally Magnusson with her daughter, Anna Lisa, and granddaughter, Remy, appeared in a documentary about dementia last year
Credit: BBC
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Reporting Scotland presenters, Laura Miller, left, with Sally
Credit: BBC
Goodwin's appointment is the latest development in BBC Scotland's news and current affairs portfolio, which recently launched two new programmes.
Earlier this year, News at Seven, presented by Laura McIver and Amy Irons, and the podcast series Scotcast with Martin Geissler, replaced the channel's flagship shows The Nine and The Seven.
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