Newsnight

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Newsnight began on 28 January 1980 at 22:45, although a 15-minute news bulletin using the same title had run on BBC2 for a 13-month period from 1975 to 1976. Its planned September 1979 launch date was delayed by four months by the Association of Broadcasting Staff, at the time the main BBC trade union.Andrew Billen [http://www.newstatesman.com/node/136822 "Flagship sails on"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427134023/http://www.newstatesman.com/node/136822 |date=27 April 2015 }}, New Statesman, 7 February 2000 Newsnight was the first programme to be made by means of a direct collaboration between BBC News, then at Television Centre, and the current affairs department, based a short distance away at the now defunct Lime Grove Studios. Staff feared job cuts. The newscast also served as a replacement for the current affairs programme Tonight.

Former presenters include Jeremy Paxman, Peter Snow, Donald MacCormick, Charles Wheeler, Adam Raphael and John Tusa, later boss of the BBC World Service. In the early days each edition had an "auxiliary presenter", a phenomenon pejoratively known at the time as the "Newsnight's wife syndrome". Usually a woman, it was her job to read the news headlines and to introduce minor items. Olivia O'Leary in 1985 became the first principal female presenter; the programme has had a single presenter since 1987.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8072060.stm "A history of Newsnight"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124164631/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8072060.stm |date=24 November 2012 }}, BBC News, 28 May 2009 The program is now wholly managed by BBC News.

Until 1988 the start time of Newsnight was flexible, enabling BBC2 to screen a full-length movie at 9:30 to dovetail with the end of the Nine O'Clock News on BBC1. However, BBC News and Current Affairs, then controlled by John Birt, wanted a fixed start time for Newsnight at 10:30 so that viewers would always know when it was on. The managing director of BBC Television, Bill Cotton, who was responsible for all TV scheduling, strongly opposed Birt's campaign, fearing it would severely restrict his scheduling freedom. But Birt persuaded the BBC director general, Michael Checkland, to back the change - which Checkland then announced at a press conference without warning Cotton, who was in the audience. Cotton fought a fierce campaign inside and outside the BBC to reverse the decision - so fierce that one protagonist said it would "destroy the BBC".Chris Horrie and Steve Clarke 'Fuzzy Monsters: Fear and Loathing at the BBC' (1994) But the move to a fixed start time took place on 31 October 1988 and is still in place.{{Cite book |last=Birt |first=John |title=The Harder Path, The Autobiography |publisher=Time Warner Books |year=2003 |isbn=0-316-86019-0 |pages=274–5}}{{Cite book |last=Wyatt |first=Will |title=The Fun Factory, A Life in the BBC |publisher=Aurum Press |year=2003 |isbn=1-85410-915-4}}

Between 1999 and 2014 on BBC Two Scotland the offshoot, Newsnight Scotland, presented by Gordon Brewer, replaced the final twenty minutes of the UK programme from Monday to Friday. From May 2014, Newsnight has again been shown in full in Scotland, although delayed by half an hour to accommodate Newsnight Scotland's replacement, Scotland 2014. In more recent years, Scottish viewers have seen the full edition of the show without a separate programme. The flagship news programmes for BBC Scotland are now shown on their separate channel.

Newsnight moved to new facilities at Broadcasting House on 15 October 2012.

In 2020, Newsnight won the Royal Television Society's Daily News Programme of the Year award. It was succeeded in 2021 by the ITV News at Ten.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsnight reverted to a 22:45 start time from 30 March 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://tvhome.co.uk/bbc-two/2020/03/30/2245|title=BBC Two - Authoritative 1|website=tvhome.co.uk}} This was due to Newsnight temporarily sharing a studio with the BBC News at Ten during the pandemic, to cut footfall in Broadcasting House and allow turnover in the studio, with the News at Ten not finishing until 22:35. Further, during the pandemic, some editions presented by Kirsty Wark were presented from BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay headquarters in Glasgow. However, Wark still travelled to London during weeks she presented more episodes of the show (for example when main presenter Emily Maitlis was on holiday).

In October 2020 the show moved to a new studio, but continued to broadcast from 10:45. It returned to the 10:30 slot in May 2021.

Newsnight's signature tune was composed by George Fenton. Various arrangements have been used over the years.

There has been much debate over the role and format of Newsnight. In 2018 a former Newsnight editor, John Morrison, wrote in Radio Times{{Cite journal |last=Morrison |first=John |date=October 2018 |title=Do we still need Newsnight? |journal=Radio Times |pages=}} that the gap Newsnight once filled ("covering serious news including the arts and sciences in depth, and with probing interviews") had now largely been filled by other programmes earlier in the day. The BBC, he said, had failed to come up with a replacement. The Corporation's plan now, he suggested, was simply to "starve Newsnight of resources and eventually it will just fade away." To ensure its survival, he suggested, among other changes, cutting the programme length from 45 to 30 minutes and "beefing up the interview booking desk." On 29 November 2023, it was announced that Newsnight would be revamped as a 30-minute "interview, debate and discussion" programme, ditching its special reporting team. Jobs within the programme were to be slashed by more than half, from 57 to 23.{{Cite web |title=BBC News announces savings and digital reinvestment plans |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/bbc-news-announces-savings-and-digital-reinvestment-plans/ |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2023-11-29 |title=BBC's Newsnight to be cut back as part of savings plan |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67564479 |access-date=2023-11-29}} The new format was launched on 28 May 2024.[https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/newsnight-30minuteformat-date Newsnight: New format to launch later this month.] tvzoneuk.com

The programme's average audience in 2015 was 579,000, compared to 867,000 in 2008.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/newsnight-some-have-questioned-future-bbc-s-current-affairs-flagship-don-t-write-it-yet-a6787711.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/newsnight-some-have-questioned-future-bbc-s-current-affairs-flagship-don-t-write-it-yet-a6787711.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title = Some have questioned the future of Newsnight – but don't write it off yet|website = Independent.co.uk|date = 27 December 2015}}

The average audience was 344,000 in September 2018 {{Cite web|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/first-episode-of-itvs-peston-beats-bbc-newsnight-in-late-night-current-affairs-ratings-battle/|title = First midweek episode of ITV's Peston beats BBC Newsnight in late-night current affairs ratings battle|date = 28 September 2018}} and by August 2020 around 300,000.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/20/bbc-impartiality-row-newsnight-policy-editor-accused-scale-bias/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/20/bbc-impartiality-row-newsnight-policy-editor-accused-scale-bias/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=BBC impartiality row: Newsnight policy editor accused of 'off the scale' bias|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=20 August 2020|last1=Singh|first1=Anita}}{{cbignore}}

In January 2020 Victoria Derbyshire said Newsnight's audience figures were 297,000.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/victoria-derbyshire-show-claims-tv-audience-newsnight-hits-back-bbc-cuts/|title = Victoria Derbyshire claims TV show rivals Newsnight audience as she hits back over BBC cuts| work=Press Gazette |date = 27 January 2020}}

The new format has been deemed a success with more than 1 million people watching the 28 February 2025 episode.{{Cite web |last=Derbyshire |first=Victoria |title=Over 1 million of you watched #Newsnight on Friday as Nick Watt brought you reaction and analysis to those scenes in the Oval Office (We're LIVE each weeknight at 1030pm on @BBCTwo @BBCNews & @BBCiPlayer. I do hope you can join us) |url=https://bsky.app/profile/vicderbyshire.bsky.social/post/3ljkfhzewtk2t |website=Blusky}} The programme attracts a third more viewers than it had done pre-reforms to the format with an average of 500,000 viewers over a week-long period.{{Cite news |last=Warrington |first=James |date=2025-03-14 |title=Victoria Derbyshire on Newsnight's improbable comeback in the second age of Trump |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/14/victoria-derbyshire-on-newsnights-improbable-comeback/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

File:Jeremy Paxman, Presenter, Newsnight; Author, Great Britain’s Great War (12638396983).jpg in February 2014]]

In May 1997, Jeremy Paxman pressed former Home Secretary Michael Howard about a meeting with head of the Prison Service Derek Lewis about the possible dismissal of the governor of Parkhurst Prison. Faced with what he considered evasive answers, Paxman put the same question – "Did you threaten to overrule him?" (i.e. Lewis) – to Howard twelve times in succession.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182569.stm|title=Paxman versus Howard|website=BBC News|date=21 January 2005|access-date=15 February 2006|archive-date=4 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204222306/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182569.stm|url-status=live}}

This has become one of the programme's best known interviews. Later, during the twentieth anniversary edition of Newsnight, Paxman told Howard that he had simply been trying to prolong the interview because the next item in the running order was not ready.Paxman's explanation was that "by the time I'd asked the question five or six times... it was clear... that you [Howard] weren't going to answer it... at which point a voice came in my ear and said "The next piece of tape isn't cut, you'd better carry on with this for a while" and I'm afraid I couldn't think of anything else to ask you." In 2004, Paxman raised the subject again with Howard, by then leader of the Conservative Party to get a final answer.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-27916609/jeremy-paxman-takes-on-michael-howard-one-last-time|title=Jeremy Paxman takes on Michael Howard one last time|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-07-27}}{{Failed verification|date=April 2019}} This time, Howard laughed it off, saying that he had not threatened to overrule the head of the Prison Service.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}} During Paxman's final show in June 2014, Howard briefly appeared in the studio once more, with Paxman simply asking "Did you?", to which Howard replied "No, Jeremy, I didn't, but feel free to ask another 11 times."[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27903226 Jeremy Paxman hosts his final Newsnight] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140619013149/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27903226 |date=19 June 2014 }}, BBC News, 18 June 2014

{{main|Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal}}

In November 2019, Emily Maitlis interviewed Prince Andrew, Duke of York about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in August 2019 whilst awaiting trial. The interview had taken months to prepare and Maitlis received approval only 48 hours before the scheduled airdate.{{cite news |last1=Maitlis |first1=Emily |title=Emily Maitlis: 'Prince Andrew was unleashed. He wanted to tell me everything' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/19/emily-maitlis-prince-andrew-was-unleashed-he-wanted-to-tell-me-everything |access-date=20 February 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=19 December 2019 |archive-date=20 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220114541/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/19/emily-maitlis-prince-andrew-was-unleashed-he-wanted-to-tell-me-everything |url-status=live }}

In the interview, the Duke of York denied having sex with Virginia Giuffre (then known by her maiden name Virginia Roberts) in March 2001, as she had accused, because he had been at home with his daughters, having taken his elder daughter, Beatrice, to a party at PizzaExpress in Woking.{{cite news|title=Prince Andrew denies sex with 17-year-old because he was 'at Pizza Express' on night in question|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-andrew-interview-pizza-express-virginia-roberts-guiffre-jeffrey-epstein-newsnight-a9205916.html|work=The Independent|date=16 November 2019|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117014529/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-andrew-interview-pizza-express-virginia-roberts-guiffre-jeffrey-epstein-newsnight-a9205916.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Prince Andrew denies sex with 17-year-old: 'I went to Pizza Express that day'|url=https://news.sky.com/story/prince-andrew-denies-sex-with-17-year-old-i-went-to-pizza-express-that-day-11862902|work=Sky News|date=16 November 2019|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117013908/https://news.sky.com/story/prince-andrew-denies-sex-with-17-year-old-i-went-to-pizza-express-that-day-11862902|url-status=live}} The Duke said that he had "no recollection of ever meeting" Giuffre{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTaWzBBf6xo|title=Prince Andrew says he has "no recollection" of meeting Epstein accuser|date=15 November 2019 |via=www.youtube.com|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117012002/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTaWzBBf6xo|url-status=live}} and that he had "absolutely no memory" of a photograph taken of him with Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell's house. He said he had investigations carried out to establish whether the photograph was faked, but they had been "inconclusive".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50446065|title=Prince 'categorically' denies sex claims|work=BBC News|date=16 November 2019|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117122310/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50446065|url-status=live}}

Andrew's responses in the interview received negative reactions from both the media and the public.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/prince-andrews-epstein-interview-roundly-panned-nuclear-explosion-level-bad/2019/11/17/62b28a02-094b-11ea-8054-289aef6e38a3_story.html|title=Prince Andrew's Epstein interview roundly panned: 'nuclear explosion level bad'|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Karla|last=Adam|date=17 November 2019|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117221753/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/prince-andrews-epstein-interview-roundly-panned-nuclear-explosion-level-bad/2019/11/17/62b28a02-094b-11ea-8054-289aef6e38a3_story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/17/uk/prince-andrew-tv-interview-scli-gbr-intl/index.html|title=Prince Andrew sparks near-universal condemnation with TV interview|publisher=CNN|first=Aimee|last=Lewis|date=17 November 2019|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117191953/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/17/uk/prince-andrew-tv-interview-scli-gbr-intl/index.html|url-status=live}} Maitlis won the Network Presenter of the Year award at the RTS Television Journalism Awards in 2020, and the interview was given awards for Interview of the Year and Scoop of the Year.{{Cite news|url=https://rts.org.uk/article/winners-rts-television-journalism-awards-2020-announced|title=Winners of RTS Television Journalism Awards 2020 announced|access-date=27 February 2020|archive-date=27 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227155445/https://rts.org.uk/article/winners-rts-television-journalism-awards-2020-announced|url-status=live}}

The interview and events surrounding it have twice been dramatised. In 2024 Netflix released Scoop, and in the same year Prime Video released a three-part mini-series, A Very Royal Scandal.{{Cite web |title=Why we're getting two dramatic retellings of Prince Andrew's disastrous Newsnight interview in one year |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-19/a-very-royal-scandal-prince-andrew-newsnight-bbc/104365356}}

In April 2001, the BBC's Board of Governors ruled that Newsnight's coverage of Peter Mandelson's resignation over the Hinduja affair had been politically biased. The governors criticised the programme for featuring only Labour Party supporters on the panel discussing the issue, and for not including opposition politicians in the coverage. The broadcast caused an outcry in the media. One critic described it as a "whitewash worthy of a one-party state".{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1317114/BBC-admits-Labour-bias-on-Newsnight-broadcast.html|title=BBC admits Labour bias on Newsnight broadcast|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=25 April 2001 |access-date=2 April 2018|archive-date=1 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601000146/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1317114/BBC-admits-Labour-bias-on-Newsnight-broadcast.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-74928705|title=BBC Guilty of Bias over Mandelson|website=}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}}

The BBC judged Emily Maitlis to have broken BBC rules on impartiality in the introduction to the 26 May 2020 edition, when she said "the country can see" that Dominic Cummings had "broken the [COVID-19 lockdown] rules." As a result, she said, the public mood was "one of fury, contempt and anguish." The BBC said that while the programme contained "fair, reasonable and rigorous journalism", it was "not made clear" that the remarks referred to questions to be examined in the rest of the programme.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52824508 |title=Newsnight 'breached BBC impartiality guidelines' with Cummings remarks |work=BBC News |date=27 May 2020 |access-date=29 May 2020 |archive-date=28 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528230245/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52824508 |url-status=live }}

When Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019 his ministers generally refused invitations to appear on the programme.[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/boris-johnson-interview-bbc-breakfast-dan-walker-iran-social-care-a9283356.html Boris Johnson is boycotting the difficult interviews – but even the ‘easy’ ones are an embarrassment] - The Independent. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2022. This resulted in Newsnight presenters stating on an almost nightly basis that the government had been asked to appear but that "no one was available" or that they had declined outright. On 12 January 2022, Jacob Rees-Mogg made a rare government appearance on the programme to defend the government's position on "lockdown parties" at 10 Downing Street which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mogg referred to Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross as "quite a lightweight figure".[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-59978733 Jacob Rees-Mogg calls Scottish Tory leader a 'lightweight'] - BBC News. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.

{{main|Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal}}

In the weeks after the ITV documentary Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile was broadcast on 3 October 2012, allegations were made that a Newsnight investigation into Savile by reporter Liz MacKean and producer Meirion Jones in December 2011 had been dropped shortly before transmission because it conflicted with tribute programmes prepared after Savile's death. The BBC appointed Nick Pollard, a former Sky News executive, to examine why the investigation was dropped.{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Rowena |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9613014/BBCs-Jimmy-Savile-probe-to-be-led-by-Harold-Shipman-inquiry-judge.html |title=BBC's Jimmy Savile probe to be led by Harold Shipman inquiry judge |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=16 October 2012 |access-date=16 October 2012 |location=London |archive-date=13 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413164829/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9613014/BBCs-Jimmy-Savile-probe-to-be-led-by-Harold-Shipman-inquiry-judge.html |url-status=dead }} On 23 October, the Director-General of the BBC, George Entwistle, appeared before the Parliamentary Culture, Media and Sport Committee, and stated that it had been a "catastrophic mistake" to cancel the Newsnight broadcast.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/9628228/Jimmy-Savile-George-Entwistle-heckled-by-BBC-reporters-after-brutal-grilling-from-MPs.html|title=Jimmy Savile: George Entwistle heckled by BBC reporters after brutal grilling from MPs|work=The Telegraph|date=23 October 2012|access-date=23 October 2012|location=London|first=Rosa|last=Prince|archive-date=24 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024150731/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/9628228/Jimmy-Savile-George-Entwistle-heckled-by-BBC-reporters-after-brutal-grilling-from-MPs.html|url-status=live}}

On 2 November 2012, Newsnight broadcast a report falsely accusing, but not naming, a prominent Conservative, Lord McAlpine of child abuse. The veracity of this story collapsed after The Guardian reported a case of mistaken identity on 8 NovemberDavid Leigh, et al [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/08/mistaken-identity-tory-abuse-claim "'Mistaken identity' led to top Tory abuse claim"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201231945/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/08/mistaken-identity-tory-abuse-claim |date=1 December 2016 }}, The Guardian, 8 November 2012 and the victim retracted the allegation after belatedly being shown a photograph of McAlpine in an item broadcast on the following day. The production team had not contacted McAlpine about the allegations.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20277732|title=BBC apologises for Newsnight child abuse report|work=BBC News|date=10 November 2012|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-date=22 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122005858/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20277732|url-status=live}} An apology about the story was made on 9 November during that evening's broadcast of the programme.Dan Sabbagh, et al [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/nov/09/newsnight-lord-mcalpine-abuse-allegations "BBC in turmoil as Newsnight's Tory abuse story falls apart"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105093239/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/nov/09/newsnight-lord-mcalpine-abuse-allegations |date=5 January 2017 }}, The Guardian, 9 November 2012 In an official statement, the BBC announced all ongoing Newsnight investigations were being suspended.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/statements/newsnight-steve-messham-statement.html "Apology in response to Steve Messham's statement"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526045222/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/statements/newsnight-steve-messham-statement.html |date=26 May 2017 }}, BBC Media Centre, 9 November 2012 The Director of BBC Scotland, Ken MacQuarrie, investigated the circumstances around the programme. His findings were published on 12 November and stated that:[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20306096 BBC News, Ken MacQuarrie report: Summary of findings, 12 November 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527115108/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20306096 |date=27 May 2017 }}. Retrieved 15 November 2012{{cquote|The editorial leadership of the team was under very considerable pressure...[T]here was ambiguity around who was taking the ultimate editorial responsibility for the [BBC] Newsnight report, particularly in the days leading up to the day of transmission.... During the editorial decision-making process, some of the basic journalistic checks were not completed.... There was a different understanding by the key parties about where the responsibility lay for the final editorial sign[-]off for the story on the day.

}} The BBC announced that Karen O'Connor would take on the role of Acting Editor of Newsnight.

The Pollard report was published on 19 December 2012. It concluded that the decision to drop the original Newsnight report on the allegations against Savile in December 2011 was "flawed", but that it had not been done to protect the Savile tribute programmes. However, it criticised George Entwistle for apparently failing to read emails warning him of Savile's "dark side",{{cite news |last=Halliday |first=Josh |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/dec/19/pollard-report-george-entwistle-jimmy-savile |title=Pollard report: George Entwistle 'did not read emails' about Jimmy Savile |work=The Guardian |date=19 December 2012 |access-date=19 December 2012 |location=London |archive-date=12 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212035024/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/dec/19/pollard-report-george-entwistle-jimmy-savile |url-status=live }} and that, after the allegations against Savile eventually became public, the BBC fell into a "level of chaos and confusion [that] was even greater than was apparent at the time".{{cite news |last1=Sabbagh |first1=Dan |last2=Plunkett |first2=John |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/dec/19/pollard-inquiry-bbc-jimmy-savile |title=Pollard inquiry: BBC 'incapable' of dealing with Jimmy Savile affair |work=The Guardian |date=19 December 2012 |access-date=19 December 2012 |location=London |archive-date=3 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203100656/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/dec/19/pollard-inquiry-bbc-jimmy-savile |url-status=live }} The BBC announced that Newsnight editor Peter Rippon and deputy editor Liz Gibbons would be replaced.

From 2000 until December 2009, on Friday evenings Newsnight was followed at 23:00 by Newsnight Review, a 35-minute consumer survey of the week's artistic and cultural highlights. Mark Lawson was the programme's main presenter in its Late Review incarnation, which began life as a strand of The Late Show. He continued to chair the panel of guest reviewers when it was relaunched as Newsnight Review in 2000, up until December 2005. The programme was presented by Kirsty Wark, Martha Kearney, John Wilson, Tim Marlow, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Hardeep Singh Kohli. Regular reviewers included Mark Kermode, Tom Paulin, Ekow Eshun and Germaine Greer.

As part of the BBC's commitment to moving programmes out of London, Newsnight Review finished on 18 December 2009 with a special hour-long edition. The programme was replaced by The Review Show, produced from Glasgow, which started on 22 January 2010.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/default.stm|title=A decade of Newsnight Review|date=18 January 2010|work=Newsnight Review|publisher=BBC News|access-date=22 January 2010|archive-date=15 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215134014/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/default.stm|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/8413820.stm|title=Friday 18 December: The year in Review|date=17 December 2009|work=Newsnight Review|publisher=BBC News|access-date=22 January 2010}} It had the same producer as Newsnight Review and was still presented by Kirsty Wark and Martha Kearney.

Traditionally, there was a short stock market update at the end of each edition. In 2005, Newsnight's then editor, Peter Barron, replaced it with a 30-second weather forecast, arguing that the market data was available on the internet and that a weather forecast would be "more useful". The change provoked a flurry of complaints.

Paxman on one occasion adopted a sarcastic tone and announced: "So finally and controversially, tomorrow's weather forecast. It's a veritable smorgasbord. Sun, rain, thunder, hail, snow, cold, wind. Almost worth going to work." On other occasions: "It's April, what do you expect?" and "Take an umbrella with you tomorrow." He claimed, nonetheless, that he was happy presenting the weather. Gavin Esler also joined in, announcing: "As for the spring, you can forget about that until further notice."{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4432141.stm|title=Weather or markets? You decide|website=BBC News|date=11 April 2005|access-date=25 October 2007|archive-date=21 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060221002413/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4432141.stm|url-status=live}} The programme conducted a telephone poll. Michael Fish, a former weather forecaster, was seen arguing in favour of the weather forecast, while Norman Lamont, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, argued for the market update. 62% of viewers voted in favour of the markets, and the update duly returned on Monday 18 April 2005.

Other stunts included, for a week at the end of January 2006, Newsnight playing the Radio 4 UK Theme, which was facing the axe, over its closing credits, while the edition of 24 April 2006 played out to the signature tune of the soon-to-be-axed BBC sports programme, Grandstand. In 2005, following a discussion about the return of Doctor Who to television after a nine-year absence, the programme ended with the TARDIS dematerialisation sound, while presenter Jeremy Paxton faded from view as if dematerialising like the fictional ship.

Between January and June 2006 the programme included Gordaq, a spoof stock market index measuring the political performance of Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. The index started at 100 and moved up or down depending on Brown's political situation, finishing at 101 on 30 June 2006.

In an early day motion of 3 November 2016, as a celebration of the "Brexit" vote for UK withdrawal from the European Union, Conservative Party MP Andrew Rosindell argued for a return to the broadcasting of "God Save the Queen" at the end of BBC One transmissions each day. The practice was dropped in 1997 ostensibly due to BBC One adopting 24-hour broadcasting by simulcasting BBC News 24 overnight, rendering closedown obsolete.{{cite news|last=Hughes|first=Laura|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/03/tory-mp-calls-for-bbc-1-to-mark-brexit-with-national-anthem-at-t/|title=Tory MP calls for BBC 1 to mark Brexit with national anthem at the end of each day|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=3 November 2016|access-date=3 November 2016|archive-date=3 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103094333/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/03/tory-mp-calls-for-bbc-1-to-mark-brexit-with-national-anthem-at-t/|url-status=live}} That evening, Newsnight ended its broadcast with host of that night Kirsty Wark saying that they were "incredibly happy to oblige" Rosindell's request, before playing out to the video of the Sex Pistols' punk song of the same name, much to Rosindell's discontent.{{cite news | url = http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/04/bbc-just-trolled-a-conservative-mp-brilliantly-with-god-save-the-queen-6234486/ | title = BBC just trolled a conservative MP brilliantly with God Save the Queen | first = Simon | last = Robb | newspaper = Metro | date = 4 November 2016 | access-date = 4 November 2016 | archive-date = 4 November 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161104204428/http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/04/bbc-just-trolled-a-conservative-mp-brilliantly-with-god-save-the-queen-6234486/ | url-status = live }}

Newsnight is available in the UK on BBC iPlayer for up to thirty days after broadcast. A weekly digest version of Newsnight used to be screened on both the UK and international BBC News channels, focusing on "the best of the week's films and discussions."{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mk25/newsnight|title=Newsnight on BBC iPlayer|website=BBC|access-date=22 March 2019|archive-date=26 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326073449/https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mk25/newsnight|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmdh|title=BBC World News version of Newsnight|website=BBC|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-date=25 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325043055/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmdh|url-status=live}} In April 2025, following the cancellation of HARDtalk and Click,{{Cite news |last=Hattenstone |first=Simon |date=2025-03-24 |title='I feel really, really cross at incredibly dumb decisions': Stephen Sackur on the end of HARDtalk – and leaving the BBC |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/mar/24/i-feel-really-really-cross-at-incredibly-dumb-decisions-stephen-sackur-on-the-end-of-hardtalk-and-leaving-the-bbc |access-date=2025-04-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-15 |title=BBC News job losses aim to save £24m |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0m07g49004o |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} the daily edition of Newsnight was added to the international feed.{{Cite tweet |number=1906684725080531175 |user=vicderbyshire |title=#Newsnight is expanding - we're going GLOBAL 🌎 From tonight for a trial period we're LIVE on the global feed of BBC News at 1030pm Am v much looking forward to saying 'and welcome to our viewers around the world' |first=Victoria |last=Derbyshire |date=2025-03-31 |access-date=2025-04-16}}

From August 2013, Newsnight had a dedicated YouTube channel on which excerpts of programmes could be found.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/BBCNewsnight|title=Newsnight|website=YouTube|access-date=10 May 2019|archive-date=11 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511125428/https://www.youtube.com/user/BBCNewsnight|url-status=live}} However, the channel was updated for the final time in September 2020 and replaced with sections of the episodes being released on BBC News' main YouTube channel.{{Cite web|date=28 September 2020|title=BBC Newsnight's new home on BBC News|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgSBi5JXSjk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/YgSBi5JXSjk| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|website=BBC Newsnight (Youtube)}}{{cbignore}} KCET, an independent public television station in Los Angeles, broadcasts the weekly digest version.{{cite web|url=http://www.kcet.org/shows/bbc_newsnight|title=KCET version of Newsnight|website=KCET|access-date=31 July 2010|archive-date=11 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811054642/http://www.kcet.org/shows/bbc_newsnight/|url-status=live}}

Segments of Newsnight are also distributed via the independent YouTube channels of the programme's guests. This includes a segment featuring Ash Sarkar in May 2023 which was reposted on the Novara Media channel as the video "Ash Sarkar Bodies The Royals on BBC Newsnight," generating 122,463 views.{{Cite journal |last=Symons |first=Alex |date=December 2024 |title=Disruptors in media rituals: Ash Sarkar's 'Playful Rebellion' in converging television news |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19392397.2024.2436195?src=exp-la |journal=Celebrity Studies |pages=13 |doi=10.1080/19392397.2024.2436195 |via=Routledge|url-access=subscription }}

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}

• Peter Snow, 1980–1997
• John Tusa, 1980–1986
• Donald MacCormick
• David Sells, 1980–2006
• Peter Hobday, 1980–1983
• Will Hutton, 1983–1988
• Jenni Murray, 1984–1986
• Olivia O'Leary, 1985–1986
• Adam Raphael, 1987–1988
• Gordon Brewer, 1993–1999 (subsequently hosted Newsnight Scotland)
• Steve Scott
• Martha Kearney (presenter and political editor), 1994–2010
• Sarah Montague, 1998–2001
• James Cox
• Donald MacCormick
• Eddie Mair (guest presenter)
• Jon Sopel (guest presenter)
• Francine Stock
• Sue Cameron
• Allegra Stratton (political editor)
• Charles Wheeler
• Jeremy Vine, 1999–2002
• Michael Crick (political editor)
• Paul Mason (economics editor)
• Gavin Esler, 2003–2014
• Jeremy Paxman, 1989–2014
• Emma Barnett, 2018–2022
• Mark Urban
• Evan Davis, 2014–2018
• Katie Razzall (relief presenter) 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk25/episodes/guide|title=Newsnight 2020 relief presenters|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329220012/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk25/episodes/guide|url-status=live}}
• James O'Brien
• Susan Watts (science editor)
• Nimrod Kamer (Buzz and youth correspondent)
• Laura Kuenssberg (presenter and chief correspondent), 2014–2015
• Kavita Puri
• Liz MacKean
• Tim Whewell
• Greg Palast
• Emily Maitlis, 2006–2022
• Lewis Goodall (policy editor), 2020–2022
• Roger Cook, 1980–1985
• Kirsty Wark 1993–2024

{{div col end}}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

• George Carey (1980–1981){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182153.stm|title=Gdansk strikes|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208155936/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182153.stm|url-status=live}}
• Ron Neil (1981–1982){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182271.stm|title=Falklands War|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208142439/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182271.stm|url-status=live}}
• David Lloyd (1982–1983){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182287.stm|title=INLA investigation|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208164743/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182287.stm|url-status=live}}
• David Dickinson (1983–1985){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182409.stm|title=Hiroshima and Nagasaki film|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208120433/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182409.stm|url-status=live}}
• Richard Tait (1985–1987){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182449.stm|title=US bombing of Libya|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208170838/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182449.stm|url-status=live}}
• John Morrison (1987–1990){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182471.stm|title=Fall of the Berlin Wall|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208194000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182471.stm|url-status=live}}
• Tim Gardam (1990–1993){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182523.stm|title=Kurdish refugees|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208180330/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182523.stm|url-status=live}}
• Peter Horrocks (1994–1997){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182569.stm|title=Paxman versus Howard|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208124506/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182569.stm|url-status=live}}
• Sian Kevill (1998–2001){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182609.stm|title=Child abuse investigation|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208214753/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182609.stm|url-status=live}}
• George Entwistle (2001–2004){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182619.stm|title=Newsnight's 9/11 coverage|website=BBC|date=21 January 2005|access-date=6 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208182415/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4182619.stm|url-status=live}}
• Peter Barron (2004–2008){{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jul/28/bbc.television|title=Newsnight editor Peter Barron to join Google in communications role|website=The Guardian|date=28 July 2008|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-date=23 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323173303/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jul/28/bbc.television|url-status=live}}
• Peter Rippon (2008–2012){{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21530542|title=Peter Rippon appointed to BBC News archive role|work=BBC News|date=21 February 2013|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329215729/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21530542|url-status=live}}
• Ian Katz (2013–2017){{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/oct/31/newsnight-editor-ian-katz-quits-bbc-for-top-channel-4-role|title=Newsnight editor Ian Katz quits BBC for top Channel 4 role|website=The Guardian|date=31 October 2017|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-date=23 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323173305/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/oct/31/newsnight-editor-ian-katz-quits-bbc-for-top-channel-4-role|url-status=live}}
• Esme Wren (2018–2021){{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43037527|title=Esmé Wren named as new BBC Newsnight editor|work=BBC News|date=12 February 2018|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329215725/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43037527|url-status=live}}
• Stewart Maclean (2022–) {{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2022/bbc-appoints-stewart-maclean-as-newsnight-editor|title=BBC appoints Stewart Maclean as Newsnight Editor}}

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{{Reflist|20em}}

• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/ Newsnight 25] BBC mini-site to mark Newsnight's 25th anniversary in 2005
• [http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/newsnight-at-20-the-awkward-squad/1188979.article Newsnight at 20: the awkward squad], Broadcast, 28 January 2000

• {{BBC programme}}
• {{IMDb title|id=0163471|title=Newsnight}}
• {{Twitter|BBCNewsnight}}
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3081602.stm Paxarotti packs punch in Newsnight opera] BBC News, 5 September 2003 – Newsnight: The Opera
• [https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,1460080,00.html Newsnight weathers storm as forecast is axed] The Guardian, 15 April 2005

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