On Your Behalf: Linda McAuley to leave BBC consumer programme

Linda McAuley said it had been "an honour and a privilege" to present On Your Behalf since 1995

Linda McAuley, the presenter of BBC Radio Ulster's consumer rights programme On Your Behalf, is leaving the show after nearly 30 years.

Ms McAuley said she had been considering retirement for a while and discussed her decision with her family over Christmas.

She then informed the head of BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday that she would not be renewing her contract.

The radio host described her time on the show as a "total delight".

"I've been mulling this decision about retiring since the end of the year," she told the BBC's Nolan Show.

"It's an awfully difficult decision because I feel enmeshed with our listeners as I've been with them for so long.

"I've been out in their homes right across Northern Ireland talking to people - not just talking on microphones but out with them and I feel completely involved with the listeners."

But she added that she had "been here a while" and felt that "now is the right moment" to step down from the show.

"I'm actually working with people who are the same age as On Your Behalf now," she laughed.

Linda McAuley said she felt "very lucky" when she looked back on her long career

Ms McAuley, from Bangor in County Down, is an award-winning consumer journalist who began working in the radio industry in 1976.

The former newsreader's career has spanned both commercial and BBC stations.

Consumer rights champion

She started out reading dog and horse racing results on Downtown Radio before moving to BBC Northern Ireland where she presented a range of magazine and news programmes.

In 1995, she helped launch BBC Radio Ulster's station's first dedicated consumer affairs programme, On Your Behalf.

Since then she had been championing consumer rights, challenging poor customer service and helping callers secure refunds and apologies from errant suppliers.

In 2017 she was inducted into the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) Radio Awards Hall of Fame.

Later that year she was made an MBE in the New Year Honours list for her services to consumers.

"It's been an absolute pleasure to meet people, to talk to people, to help people and to be involved with all the wonderful [consumer rights] organisations," she said.

"I should just say, I couldn't have done any of that without all those experts that came into the studio - Trading Standards; Advice NI; the Labour Relations Agency; Carers NI; Macmillan - I'm going to leave somebody out obviously if I say that."

Ms McAuley added that much of the programme's focus in recent years has been on welfare issues and helping the public through the roll out of the Universal Credit benefits system.

"It's just been a total delight and a pleasure and I feel very lucky."