Peter Sissons announces retirement

Peter Sissons has announced that he is to retire as a newsreader this summer.

The 66-year-old said that he will concentrate on writing his memoirs, though he did not completely rule out a future return to TV.

Sissons said: "I do feel I'm still on top of my game and I still enjoy it. I don't know how much I'll miss it until I stop but I don't think I'll be sitting in a darkened room.

"I've started my memoirs but I haven't got past the early years yet. I haven't got a title in mind, it doesn't even have a publisher."

He added: "I'm proudest of launching Channel 4 News, which I did for seven years.

"While I was there, it was nominated for a Bafta five years running and won three times. The format we settled on is exactly what you see today. It's still the show to beat."

During his 45-year career, Sissons presented news programmes for Channel 4, BBC and ITN, stepping down from the BBC's Ten O'Clock News in 2003.