BBC News presenter Emmanuelle Lhoni has announced she’s leaving her role.
The 28-year-old star became the youngest black female weather presenter at the BBC when she joined North West Tonight, as well as the broadcaster’s first Congolese weather presenter.
After starting her career at the BBC with work experience on Rip Off Britain and shadowing on Newsround in 2014,Emmanuelle worked her way through BBC World Service, BBC Africa and as part of the BBC North West team.
Having started her latest job in May 2019, she’s now leaving her ‘dream role’.
Sharing an announcement on social media,Emmanuelle said: ‘After 5 AMAZING years, it’s time to say goodbye to BBC North West Tonight.
‘It’s an understatement to say working on this programme was a childhood dream come true! (I’m from Greater Manchester so you know we always watched North West Tonight!)
‘I still can’t believe I got to work with and learn from journalists and presenters I looked up to and admired for years.’
She went on: ‘Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to this point and during these 5 years.
‘And a BIG thank you to our viewers [sic] I have enjoyed covering this region for you and I am so humbled you welcomed me into your homes!
‘I will of course let you know about what’s next soon. Here’s to the future.’
She added in her Instagram stories that she’d been wanting to share the news since June.
Fans flocked to the comments on her post, sharing how much she’d be missed.
‘You will be missed. xxx All the very best for your future. Hopefully I’ll still get to see your fabulous fashion pieces on here,’ @woth58 said.
@tonimilw said: ‘Oh I’m sorry to see you go. Thanks for bringing us your lovely smile and beautiful clothes to our screens. The very best of luck with whatever is next for you.’
@wodd365 added: ‘Good luck in your new venture whatever it is you will smash it. You were always meant for success and greatness.’
Emmanuelle regularly keeps followers updated with her professional life on Instagram, sharing clips of her presenting and images in the BBC studio.
At the start of 2020, she looked back at some of her career highlights in the previous year, having recently joined the TV News team.
She wrote: ‘I saw the Prime Minister in the flesh, managed to work on stories which were the lead, lent my voice here and there, did my first ever journalism panel at my former university (which I still can’t believe actually happened) alongside some of the best in the field and still managed to survive night shifts to bring the new to more 75 million listeners. (Clap for me!)
‘It’s been great and I’m so grateful to everyone that has helped me along the way. Right then, 2020, here we go.’
Just months later, she made her debut presenting the lunchtime weather for BBC North West Tonight, saying: ‘I think this makes me the ‘first Congolese person ever’ and the ‘youngest black person ever to present the weather at the BBC’.’
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