BBC news presenter and journalist Sally Taylor is set to host her final edition of South Today, the regional news programme she has fronted since 1987.
She joined the programme after working at Spotlight, the BBC’s regional news service for the south west of England. Over the years, she has become a familiar face to viewers across the South of England.
Sally is believed to be the longest-serving female presenter of a flagship regional news programme in the UK.
A difficult decision
Speaking to former South Today presenter Roger Finn during a walk in the New Forest, Sally explained her reasons for stepping down. she said,
“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.”
Reflecting on a career in television, she said,
“I just treat everybody how they treat me. I’m just a normal person doing a normal job.”
Reporting from across the globe
During her career, Sally has covered ten general elections and reported from Bosnia at the end of the war alongside military medics. She also broadcast live from Antarctica after travelling there on HMS Endurance.
In recognition of her contributions to regional broadcasting, she was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2005.
The OnTheWight team met Sally in 2026, when she visited Ventnor as part of a celebration of the town’s community spirit. Our impression of her was not that she was just a lovely person, but also a true professional.
Looking to the future
While Sally’s time at South Today is coming to an end, she remains positive about the future. She said,
“People find endings difficult, but I look at them and I see a new beginning.”
Her former colleague, Roger Finn, summed up her impact with a simple message,
“Bravo.”
Source: BBC News
