Michael Crick has been hired as the new political editor of Newsnight.

The reporter will take up the role on the BBC's flagship news programme as Martha Kearney departs for The World At One on Radio 4.

Since he started working on the show in 1992 Crick has built up a reputation for presenting his pieces with personality and character.

He attended Manchester Grammar School and Oxford University and has written biographies of Jeffrey Archer, Sir Alex Ferguson, Lord Heseltine and Michael Howard.

He commented: "It’s a great time to be covering politics."