Nigel Farage leaves radio station LBC

The Nigel Farage Show had been on air since 2017

Nigel Farage is to leave his talk show on LBC radio with "immediate effect", the station confirmed on Thursday.

The station thanked the Brexit Party leader for his "enormous contribution".

The Nigel Farage Show aired five days a week. On Wednesday, he told listeners he would be back as usual on Thursday, but the schedule has now been changed.

"Nigel Farage's contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect," LBC said.

The station added: "We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well."

• The story of 'Mr Brexit'

The Nigel Farage Show had been on air for three years, and offered callers the chance to sound off about political topics.

On Wednesday's show he signed off with the words: "I'm back tomorrow at six," suggesting his contract situation accelerated in the last 24 hours.

Apparently responding to the news, fellow presenter James O'Brien tweeted: "We got our station back."

In 2018, he launched a podcast called Farage Against The Machine, which caused rock band Rage Against the Machine to send a cease and desist letter telling him to stop using the name. He refused, but LBC cancelled the series.

As former Ukip leader, Farage was influential in gathering momentum for the campaign to leave the EU.

This week the 56-year-old compared Black Lives Matters protestors to the Taliban, for demolishing statues of slaves traders.

His departure comes after the station's owners Global Radio were criticised by some presenters over its response to the protests, following the death of George Floyd.

A Global spokesperson told the BBC the company had taken "several steps in recent days" to improve its inclusivity, "including the formation of a BAME committee".

They added: "This said, we recognise there is still a lot of work to do. Global is committed to recruiting the highest level of expertise and experience, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation or disability.

"Like a lot of businesses, we are honest enough to say that we are still finding our feet and learning fast."