The BBC has suffered another blow as one of their leading sports personalities has quit after 10 years with the corporation.
Jake Humphrey has been announced as the anchor for BT Vision’s live coverage of the Barclays Premier League next season.
The channel, which will launch in August 2013, won the rights to air 38 live games per season from the 2013-14 campaign back in June.
This includes 18 ‘first pick’ matches.
Humphrey (pictured) will host live coverage of all games screened and will also help develop other football programmes for the channel.
Chief executive of BT Vision Marc Watson said: “We are absolutely delighted that Jake has chosen to join our new sports channel to anchor our Premier League programming.
“Jake is a tremendously experienced and popular sports broadcaster and a fresh, young and innovative talent.
“He impressed us with his willingness to get deeply involved in the development of our live football programming and we took into account his track record of excellent presenting across many sports.”
The 33-year-old started out with the BBC a decade ago and has risen through the ranks of the corporation.
BBC’s loss is BT’s gain
He became the youngest host ever to present Football Focus and Final Score in 2007 and has also fronted live coverage of Championship football for the channel as well as Match of the Day 2.
Humphrey, who is a passionate Norwich City supporter has also co-hosted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony for the past three years and worked at both Euro 2012 and the Olympics, fronting the cycling coverage.
He is best known for being the entertaining anchor of BBC’s Formula One coverage since they won rights to this sport from ITV in 2009.
A delighted Humphrey said: “I am incredibly excited to be joining the team at BT, not just because I get to fulfil a lifelong dream of presenting the Barclays Premier League but because of the fresh perspective that BT will bring to both sport and broadcasting in this country.
“I am incredibly grateful to all BBC colleagues, and of course the viewers, for their incredible support from CBBC all the way to Formula One.
“My focus from the start of 2013 is on making BT’s coverage of football the best this country has ever seen.”
The BBC’s loss is BT’s gain and Jake Humphrey joins a number of sports presenters, especially associated with football on the channel to leave in recent times.
In July, Lee Dixon decided to defect to ITV to help front their live coverage of the FA Cup and England internationals.
Adrian Chiles hosts ITV’s live football action, having been with the BBC until April 2010. Former Football Focus presenter Ray Stubbs also left three years ago to become the new football face on ESPN.
While the BBC have to face up to another high-profile departure, BT’s acquisition of one of the most talented sports anchors shows they mean business in the televised football war.
By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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