BBC legend Sally Taylor to present final show today after 40 years on air

BBC South star Sally Taylor started working on South Today in 1987 and admitted she felt ‘amazing’ after making the decision to retire – but fans say the idea of her leaving is ‘unthinkable’

BBC star Sally Taylor shocked viewers by announcing her decision to leave South Today earlier this month(Image: BBC)

Sally Taylor is hanging up her hat after a decades-long career at BBC South. The star started working at flagship show South Today in 1987 and became a mainstay on the screen, but will deliver her last ever broadcast this evening.

Sally, 68, shared a statement to viewers earlier this month when she revealed her decision to leave, referencing her unlikely start in TV after working as a teacher.

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She shared: “I fell into television 40 years ago and never thought I’d still be doing it today, but the time has come to hand over the reins to someone else who I hope will cherish the job as much as I have.”

“Being the presenter of a daily 6.30pm BBC regional programme is one of the best jobs in television. South Today has given me opportunities that would never have been possible anywhere else and I’m so grateful for that.”

Sally Taylor’s final ever broadcast will air this evening, with fans describing the moment as the ‘end of an era’ after almost four decades with Sally at the helm(Image: BBC/Rolf Marriott)

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Sally concluded: “At the heart of everything we do is the relationship with our audience, I feel very honoured that they have shared and trusted me to tell their stories. It’s been wonderful.”

The former teacher opened up more while talking to her former colleague and good friend Roger Finn for a special TV segment, taking a walk in the New Forest with Roger – who left the BBC in 2020 – and explaining how she felt about leaving.

Sally admitted: “I have to say, the decision was the most stressful thing. Once I’d made that decision, well it was amazing, I woke up in the middle of the night and I thought ‘what’s that feeling,’ and I suddenly realised it was the weight off my shoulders.”

Roger asked his pal what it had been like being such a well-known figure for almost four decades, and Sally revealed that the spotlight never got to her. “I just treat everybody how they treat me. I’m just a normal person doing a normal job,” she said.

“I sometimes think I’m so lucky to have found something that I can do well and feel that I can do well and enjoy it. People find endings difficult, but I look at them and I see a new beginning.”

BBC bosses have shared their sadness to see Sally go after such a long career, with senior head of content production for BBC South sharing a touching message.

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“Sally is a broadcasting legend. She’s had an incredible career at the BBC and earned the respect and affection of our viewers who have trusted her to tell them what’s happening and why. She’s a talented broadcaster, a brilliant journalist, and a great colleague,” he shared in a statement.

Fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, have also left posts to wish Sally all the best. “She hasn’t been on much in last year or so (think was unwell) but has returned recently. Glad viewers could see her on screen again B4 she retires. We wish her well,” one person wrote.

A second penned: “It is indeed the end of an era. South Today without Sally Taylor is unthinkable. What an incredible talent. She always feels like a part of the family. I wish her a long and very happy retirement.”