Helen Skelton bids emotional goodbye to BBC Radio 5 listeners as she quits to focus on her children

Helen Skelton has bid an emotional farewell to her BBC Radio 5 Live listeners as she announced she would be stepping down from the show. The mum-of-three announced that she would be leaving her Sunday morning programme after just a year as she wants to spend more time with her children.

The Countryfile presenter, 40, took the slot on the radio station last year, after replacing the former Love Island host Laura Whitmore. During her final show on Sunday morning, fellow 5 Live presenter Steve Crossman admitted he felt emotional that she was leaving the station.

Skelton said: “I know, I don’t want to but an eight-year-old will be happy about it.” Later in the programme she was then asked how she was feeling, where she said: “I’m not alright about it but you know needs must. The juggle is real. An eight-year-old with a sideline needs me.”

At the end of her programme, Skelton said: “That’s it for me on Sundays for now. Thank you for your company over the last year, I’ve loved every minute of our time together on this show. Thank you to all of the team, thank you to all of you. Maybe we’ll meet again soon. It’s hard to know what to say without getting emotional.”

Crossman then said it was “so wonderful” working with the Strictly Come Dancing star and that she will be “massively missed”. Skelton will be standing down from the programme to focus on her three children Ernie, 8, Louis, 6, and Elsie, 1.

The former Blue Peter presenter co-parents her children with ex-husband Richie Myler after they announced their separation last year. Taking to her social media, Skelton wrote: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”

Last year, the presenter appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and finished as a runner-up with her dance partner Gorka Marquez. Skelton previously said appearing on the show had helped her find “her confidence on the dancefloor”.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Helen is an excellent broadcaster who has done a fantastic job hosting Sunday mornings. We respect her decision and look forward to working together with her in the future across 5 Live programming.

“As for what’s next for the Sunday mornings, we will update our listeners with some exciting news in due course.”