Like any station, the BBC is constantly changing and its personnel are always on the move, but in 2023 the platform has lost several high-profile names, alongside some of its lesser-known stars.
Carol Vorderman is just the latest of the station's high-profile names to stand down, but she joins other stars like Helen Skelton who left her BBC Radio role in order to focus on her family. Join HELLO! as we examine the stars who left, and why they decided to step back.
Carol Vorderman
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockLast week, the BBC Radio Wales presenter revealed that her contract had been terminated by the corporation as she refused to change her social media output, which put her in contradiction to new guidelines brought in.
Carol confirmed the news on her social media pages in a lengthy post, where she explained: "I've ultimately found that I'm not prepared to lose my voice on social media, change who I am, or lose the ability to express the strong beliefs I hold about the political turmoil this country finds itself in.
"My decision has been to continue to criticise the current UK government for what it has done to the country which I love - and I'm not prepared to stop. I was brought up to fight for what I believe in, and I will carry on."
Helen Skelton
© InstagramHelen Skelton made a tearful exit from her role on BBC Radio 5, after joining the station only last year. The mum-of-three revealed that she was leaving her role in order to focus on her family, saying the "juggle" was real.
Speaking to her co-host, Lloyd Griffith, Helen said: "There is an eight-year-old with a sideline who needs me. I've loved every minute of the past year... thank you to all the team and thank you to all of you. Its hard to know what to say without getting emotional."
Louise Priest
© BBCFans were devastated back in August when veteran presenter Louise Priest confirmed she was leaving the BBC after a 40-year career with the brand. The 62-year-old journalist, who is a familiar face to audiences of BBC Look East, said the impact of 4am starts on her home life was the main reason for her departure.
"I have been so lucky to have a variety of jobs at the BBC it never occurred to me to leave but, after almost 40 years, I felt the time was right. The impact of the 4am starts on my home life was the biggest factor. I feel I have made the right decision to go, but I'm also slightly nervous about life after the BBC."
Alex Lovell
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockThe much-loved BBC Points West presenter Alex Lovell has confirmed that November will be her final month with the BBC. Posing alongside co-host Sabet Choudhury, she shared: "After 18 years presenting BBC Points West I have taken the huge decision to leave at the end of November. Thank you to all my amazing colleagues and lovely viewers for all the love, laughs and tears - we've shared it all haven't we?"
The 50-year-old confirmed that she wasn't leaving broadcasting all together, and would instead be joining rival news network ITV, where she will be working with ITV West Country.
Ellie Harrison
© John Lawrence/ShutterstockMuch like Helen Skelton, Ellie confirmed that she was leaving Countryfile in order to focus on her young family. In the programme's accompanying magazine, Ellie explained: "After 13 years, my final column is a fond farewell to Countryfile - I'll miss the people, places and stories."
The mum-of-three added: "I've come to realise that I don't need to navigate to a whole new ocean or even a new sea, but to chart a new course somewhere in these waters - raising my three wonderful children, growing our family business and following my own creative calling to produce art of my own making." But, she hinted that she could return to screens one day...
Joanna Gosling
© Mark Thomas/ShutterstockVeteran BBC News presenter Joanna Gosling confirmed she left the corporation earlier in the year following their decision to merge the BBC News and BBC World News channels and forced presenter to re-audition for their jobs.
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In a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, Joanna said: "You may have already heard, but I wanted to confirm, that I have decided to leave the BBC and will go off air on the 26th January. I am very grateful for the kind messages I've had from so many of you. I'm proud of my career in news. Now it is time for new beginnings."
Joanna left alongside presenters David Eades and Tim Willcox, and the star has since moved onto presenting on Classic FM.
Yalda Hakim
© Shutterstock for AWEuropeYalda Hakim was on screens for ten years with the BBC as a Foreign Correspondent, but back in July, the star confirmed that she was jumping ship and joining Sky News. Yalda is now the channel's Lead World News Presenter, hosting her own primetime slot.
Laura Trevelyan
© Geoffrey Swaine/ShutterstockBBC World News presenter Laura Trevelyan revealed that she was leaving the BBC after 30 years back in March after discovering her family's historic links to the slave trade. Laura issued an apology and decided to leave the corporation in order to focus on getting "reparatory justice for the Caribbean".
Faye Hatcher
© InstagramFaye Hatcher didn't leave on the best of terms with the BBC when she confirmed her departure from BBC Radio Gloucestershire back in June, using her final show to hit out at the corporation for its cuts to local news services.
"I've been thinking about leaving the BBC for some time now, but it’s been an incredibly difficult decision to reach," she tearfully said. "During this period of change in local radio, I've seen my colleagues having to decide whether to apply for their own jobs or take voluntary redundancy - jobs that up until a few months ago they were more than qualified to do.
"I've seen the impact from that first hand, and it's been devastating for some of my friends. I've decided not to put myself through that process, and instead take voluntary redundancy. For me, this whole process has felt like a bereavement, sadness, upset, denial, self-doubt and depression, and that's been really hard."
Mike Liggins
© InstagramBBC Look East star Mike Liggins left his role in October, with the reporter now focusing on work with homeless charity Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney. His X profile also says that he's a freelance journalist and filmmaker.
Noah Abrahams
© Instagram22-year-old freelancer sports journalist Noah Abrahams decided to stop contributing to BBC Radio Derby following the corporation's coverage of the Israel-Palestine war, with the BBC not calling Hamas 'terrorists' in their coverage.
"I've taken a moral stand and made a huge career decision here, but I do not agree with the stance that the BBC has taken, and don't agree with the statement they put out," he explained.
