Laura Kuenssberg to replace Andrew Marr full-time

Laura Kuenssberg will leave her political editor job this Easter

Laura Kuenssberg is to replace Andrew Marr as the host of BBC One's flagship Sunday morning politics show.

The journalist is taking over the role after announcing her decision to step down as the BBC's political editor last December.

The BBC said she would join the "new-look" Sunday morning show in September this year.

It comes months after her headline-grabbing interview with Boris Johnson's former chief adviser Dominic Cummings.

"I couldn't be more delighted," the journalist said in a statement.

"For decades Sunday morning has been the moment to explore the events that shape us and to challenge and listen to our politicians.

"It's an honour to take the chair for that conversation in the 2020s."

Interim director of BBC News Jonathan Munro said: "Laura's the perfect host for our flagship weekend politics show - she's an engaging presenter and a razor-sharp political interviewer, and she knows exactly which questions audiences want answered."

Other names thought to be in the running for the high-profile job included BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth, who has presented an interim replacement programme since Marr's departure.

Woman's Hour host Emma Barnett and Today programme presenter Mishal Husain were also said to be in contention.

Marr quit the show that bore his name last year, saying he wanted to get his "own voice back".

He has since become chief political commentator at The New Statesman, and taken on presenting roles at LBC and Classic FM.

Kuenssberg took over from Nick Robinson as the BBC's political editor in 2015, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Her tenure has encompassed a tumultuous period in British politics, which included Brexit, two UK general elections and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her last assignment as political editor will be covering the local elections in May. A successor has yet to be revealed, but an announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

The Sunday morning politics show is a staple of British political discourse. Marr hosted it for 16 years, taking over from Sir David Frost, who steered the ship from 1993 - 2005.