On January 15, 2026, Amol Rajan, a familiar voice to millions of BBC Radio 4 listeners, announced that he would be stepping down as a presenter on the network’s flagship Today programme. After nearly five years at the helm of Britain’s most influential morning news show, Rajan is setting his sights on a new adventure: building his own company and diving headfirst into what he calls the “Great Digital Narnia of the Creator Economy.”
Rajan’s announcement, delivered with his trademark wit and candor across BBC airwaves and social media, marks the end of an era for Today and the beginning of an entrepreneurial chapter he’s been contemplating for two decades. “Twenty years after I first flirted with the idea, I’m extremely excited to jump into the Great Digital Narnia of the Creator Economy, and build my own company,” Rajan said, according to BBC News. “I’ll still do Britain’s oldest TV quiz and most exciting podcast.”
Despite his departure from Today, Rajan is not turning his back on the BBC. He will continue to host University Challenge, the venerable quiz show, and the Radical with Amol Rajan podcast, which he described as “conversations about tomorrow.” He is also stepping back from his acclaimed Amol Rajan Interviews series, a show he said he “couldn’t be prouder of,” having traveled the world and Essex alike to speak with icons from Bill Gates to Billie Jean King.
For Rajan, the decision to leave Today is more than a career move—it’s a leap of faith inspired by his childhood hero, Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses. “Del Boy was my hero growing up, and it’s time to unleash my inner entrepreneur,” Rajan explained. “I really believe in the people who take calculated risks, who build a team and who create real value. And I want to do that.” He envisions his new company as an “empire of ideas and IP,” spanning YouTube, podcasts, books, brand deals, live events, and Substack—a broad embrace of the modern creator economy.
Rajan’s journey to this point has been anything but conventional. Born in Calcutta, India, and raised in London, he attended Graveney School in Tooting before reading English at Downing College, Cambridge. His media career began in 2006 as a researcher on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff. A chance encounter with Simon Kelner, then editor of The Independent, led to work experience and a rapid ascent through the paper’s ranks. By 2013, at just 29, Rajan became editor of The Independent, making him the youngest ever editor of a broadsheet on Fleet Street and the first from an ethnic minority background.
When The Independent went digital-only in 2016, Rajan joined the BBC as its first media editor. He soon became a fixture across BBC platforms, presenting on The One Show, Radio 2, and eventually joining the Today programme in 2021, effectively replacing John Humphrys. According to Press Gazette, Rajan described the Today team as “the best of the best: consistently world class, and exceptionally well-led by [editor] Owenna Griffiths and [BBC Radio 4 controller] Mohit Bakaya.” He compared working on the show to playing for “the editorial version of Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, or Steve Waugh’s Australia.”
Throughout his BBC tenure, Rajan became known for his intellectual energy, curiosity, and sense of humor. Owenna Griffiths, Today’s editor, called him “an exceptional talent with a rare combination of intellectual dexterity, impressive breadth of interest and a brilliant sense of humour. Moreover – and perhaps, most importantly – he is a great team player who always champions the hard work of producers. It has been enormous fun working with him on Today and setting up Radical. He will be sorely missed.” Mohit Bakaya echoed these sentiments, noting that Rajan “has brought a distinctive intellectual energy and curiosity to Today that we will be really sad to lose.”
Rajan’s departure is the third major presenter change for Today in two years, following the exits of Mishal Husain and Martha Kearney, who were replaced by Anna Foster and Emma Barnett. The current lineup also includes Justin Webb and Nick Robinson, both veterans of the show. Rajan made sure to inform his colleagues personally before the news broke, later posting on Instagram, “It was very important to me that the news didn’t leak and they were the first to know, which they were. Look out for a message of thanks to them here later today, because they are the best of the best.”
Nick Robinson, one of Rajan’s Today colleagues, tweeted, “Missing you already @amolrajan – or should I say Del Boy? You’ve added boundless energy, intelligence, curiosity, charm and quite a lot of bling to @BBCr4today. Looking forward to watching your next adventure. Enjoy that sleep which you’ve been craving for so long.”
Rajan is clear that his move is not a rejection of the BBC, but rather an expansion of his creative ambitions. “I am very much not leaving the BBC, Britain’s noblest cultural institution, whose Reithian spirit is such a generous gift to a world in flux. It’s that world I’m heading for, and I’m excited,” he said. He also acknowledged the shifting tides in media, noting, “I’ve seen a big power shift during my media career from curators to creators and I’ve always seen these trends coming. But the time’s never quite been right, because I had a great time in newspapers, I had a great time in TV and I had a great time in radio, I love the institutions I work for, I love the people I work with, I’ve been blessed with four very young children. But the time is now.”
BBC executives have signaled their support for Rajan’s decision, even as they prepare to announce his replacement. John McAndrew, director of live and daily news, said, “Amol’s a huge talent who’s been a fantastic addition to the Today line-up. I’d like to thank him for everything he’s done and I’m delighted he’ll continue presenting for the BBC. Amol has brought a real breath of fresh air to Today and we will keep evolving the programme as we continue to refresh the presenting team in the months ahead.”
Rajan’s story is one of ambition, adaptability, and a restless drive to connect with audiences in new ways. As he steps away from the daily grind of live news, he leaves behind a legacy of sharp interviews, thoughtful commentary, and a reputation for both intellect and warmth. The next chapter promises to be as unpredictable as it is intriguing—and if Rajan’s track record is any guide, he’s likely to make just as big an impact in the creator economy as he did in the world of broadcast journalism.
With his characteristic optimism, Rajan summed up his outlook for the road ahead: “Golden days ahead. The best is yet to come.”
