BBC sports presenter Bonnet to retire after Olympics

BBC presenter Rob Bonnet will retire later this year and end a career at the organisation which began in 1977.

The 71-year-old has presented the sport on BBC Radio 4’s Today, the BBC’s flagship news programme, since 2007 and will retire after the Olympic Games this summer.

“I shall look back with great affection for my time at the BBC which has allowed me to cover many important stories, meet countless outstanding sportsmen and women, form many friendships and visit numerous events all over the world," said Bonnet.

Bonnet's first official role at the BBC was as a station assistant at BBC Radio Brighton.

His career also involved working as a sports presenter and sports correspondent on television and he won an RTS award on behalf of the Nine O’Clock News for coverage of the International Olympic Committee's awarding of the 2000 Olympic Games to Sydney.

In 1995, he joined BBC Breakfast as a sports presenter and also hosted the sports interview programme ‘Extra Time’ on BBC World TV.

Owenna Griffiths, the editor of the Today programme, said Bonnet "will be missed".

“Rob is a fantastic sports journalist and has been a great asset for Today over the years," she added.

BBC Sport's head of journalism Steve Mawhinney added: "From local to global, TV to radio, his inquisitiveness, insight and authority have helped inform and engage audiences."