Michael Jermey announces plans to Chair the Disasters Emergency Committee, after 16 years as ITV’s Director of News and Current Affairs

After 16 very successful years as Director of News and Current Affairs, Michael Jermey has decided to leave ITV to become Chair of the UK charity – the Disasters Emergency Committee. Michael will be with ITV until the end of the year to ensure a smooth handover to his successor.

Michael led ITV News and Current Affairs through a remarkable period of history – overseeing our coverage of five UK General Elections, seven Prime Ministers, three US presidencies, the Scottish Independence and EU referendums, the Covid pandemic, Brexit, the death of Queen Elizabeth and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

He secured the historically important first leaders’ debate at the 2010 general election for ITV, and oversaw debates at every subsequent election, helping to ensure that they became a permanent feature in UK politics.

Michael drove the editorial refresh of News at Ten and brought in the single anchor format in 2015, created the hour-long Evening News in 2022, and oversaw the launch of news services on ITVX and multiple digital platforms.

He modernised ITV’s provision of regional news, which included opening new state-of-the-art digital news centres around the UK and investing in high quality local journalism.

Over a decade and a half ITV’s journalism has won multiple awards and critical acclaim for eye-witness journalism and strong investigations. Major news exclusives included Robert Moore’s reporting on the storming of the U.S Capitol in January 2021, Paul Brand’s series of exclusive revelations on Partygate and Daniel Hewitt’s exceptional reports on Britain’s social housing crisis.

Michael started the award-winning Exposure documentary strand which first broke the story of Jimmy Savile’s crimes, and went on to expose major international human rights abuses by a number of authoritarian regimes. Under his leadership ITV has significantly broadened the range of current affairs output introducing several long running, returning series including Peston, the Martin Lewis Money Show and On Assignment.

Michael launched The ITV news trainee scheme  in 2005, which has paid enormous dividends over twenty years, bringing through many talented broadcast journalists. He energetically promoted inclusion and diversity and encouraged young journalists entering the industry. Michael was made an honorary visiting professor at the Cardiff University Journalism School in 2018.

Kevin Lygo said, “Under Michael’s leadership, ITV News has demonstrated boldness, integrity, impartiality and robust independence. Michael leaves with the great respect and admiration of all of us, and I want to thank him for his huge contribution to ITV and public service broadcasting more broadly.”

Carolyn McCall said, “Michael has been an exceptional leader of our News teams. In many forums from Westminster and Whitehall to every region in the  UK, he has been a strong advocate for ITV’s journalism and our contribution to society and democracy. He has twice been the key editorial leader on the once-a-decade renewals of ITV’s public service broadcasting licences. High quality, accessible and trusted news, with people at the heart of the coverage, has the prominence and trust it deserves in our business and amongst millions of viewers , in large part thanks to Michael who has built a fantastic team of journalists.”

Michael said, “I will miss the brilliant and talented people who make ITV such a special place to work.

ITV plays a vital part in national life. It’s an honour to have spent most of my career in public service broadcasting at ITV News.

I’m very grateful to Carolyn and Kevin for all the enthusiastic support they’ve given to high quality news and current affairs over so many years. I wish them all the very best as ITV enters its 70th year as Britain’s largest commercial public service broadcaster.

Every day the people of ITV News and Programmes produce television and digital output that serves a strong public purpose and which audiences value. I will continue to cheer on the team as a committed viewer.

I am greatly looking forward to chairing the DEC, which in partnership with the UK’s leading broadcasters, does so much to help people in times of crisis around the world”.

ITV will be advertising the role of Director of News and Current Affairs in the coming days and intends to appoint Michael’s successor before the end of the year.