Charlene White has shared a heartfelt farewell to her friend and colleague Anushka Asthana, who is stepping down from her role as ITV News deputy political editor. After four years in the post and eight years overall at ITV, Anushka is off to join Channel 4 News as their US editor – and fans aren’t quite ready to let her go.
Charlene, 44, responded to the news with a touching tribute on X, calling Anushka an “amazing human” and praising her for the way she tackles politics with clarity and impact. “Sad to see her leave us at @itvnews, but excited about her next adventure,” she wrote. “She does politics like no one else… impeccable & easy to understand”, reported the Express.
Anushka, who has co-hosted Peston alongside Robert Peston since 2021, admitted she’s feeling emotional about the move. In her post, she said: “Such an exciting adventure, but so sad to leave ITV News. I’ve had a wild ride!” She thanked several colleagues and editors, calling the Peston team “epic” and describing how difficult it is to say goodbye.
She added that she’ll be finishing up at ITV in late May and staying with the Peston programme until the summer. Shouting out the team that helped shape her TV career, she wrote: “@esmewren was the first person to get me into TV – hiring me to Sky News from the Times… I’ve watched her extraordinary career since then in awe. Super excited to be joining the brilliant C4 News team.”
The response online was instant. Fans and fellow journalists were quick to react, with one writing: “Big loss to ITV. Big gain for Channel 4.” Another added: “While I am so so happy for you, I will be sad to see you go. I so loved hearing you talk and how you explained your reports. What’s @Peston going to do without you?”
Anushka’s journalism career has spanned some of the UK’s biggest outlets. Alongside her time at ITV, she’s also hosted Week In Westminster on BBC Radio 4 and previously held roles at The Times, The Observer, and The Washington Post.
It’s clear she’s leaving behind some big shoes to fill – and even though there’s excitement around her next step, the farewell has hit colleagues and viewers alike with all the feels.
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