Donna Air leaves MTV

Donna Air will leave MTV UK & Ireland later this week, the 21 year old TV presenter announced today - and Kelly Brook will be her full-time replacement from May 1st!

The Geordie party babe told shocked fans of her video request show Select MTV that this Sunday's edition live from The Fudge Bar in Leeds will be her last appearance on MTV.

Donna Air made her debut on MTV UK in September 1997, and firmly established herself as one of the channel's most popular presenters, honing her distinctive style in the process. She has presented over 500 shows on the channel, and chatted to some of the biggest pop acts in the business including the Spice Girls, All Saints and Robbie Williams.

The former Byker Grove star now leaves MTV to pursue her return to acting, as well as to devote more time to her role on the Big Breakfast. Donna is just one of a series of major TV stars launched and nurtured in the UK by MTV, alongside SMTV's Cat Deeley, Live & Kicking's Emma Ledden and Planet Pop's June Sarpong.

Her replacement on the show is no stranger to the Big Breakfast. Kelly Brook has won the hearts of MTV viewers since joining the channel earlier this year, attracting more fan mail than any MTV UK presenter since launch. Of her new role, Kelly says, "I can't wait! It's been great doing the occasional day on the show, but now I get to go five days a week on the best pop show on TV - who wouldn't be excited!"

Of her departure, Donna says, "I'm obviously extremely sad to be leaving MTV - it's been a fantastic home to me over the last three years. But the future is extremely exciting, and I've got lots of great plans that I want to throw myself into.

"I'm definitely going to get withdrawal symptoms when I leave Select - I'll be going round the supermarket asking passers-by what their favourite video is!"