BBC reveals name and first set pic of new nightly news hour for Scotland

A new hour-long 9pm news programme, which will broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel, will be called The Nine, the corporation has revealed.

The programme will launch in February next year and will broadcast from a permanent, open-plan studio space on the third floor of BBC Scotland’s Glasgow headquarters.

Former Question Time executive editor Hayley Valentine is already on board as editor, with Rebecca Curran and Martin Geissler signed up to co-present Monday through to Thursday.

Curran said The Nine “will have a real focus on original journalism” and a “fresh format” for audiences “with stories they won’t see elsewhere”.

On Friday Laura Miller and John Beattie will take over presenting duties. A 15-minute news bulletin and 45-minute review show will be presented by Fiona Stalker and Nick Sheridan on Saturday.

On Sunday, the 15-minute bulletin will be presented by Lucy Whyte.

Valentine said: “The Nine aims to be a world-class programme combining international, UK and Scottish news with the needs of a Scottish audience at the heart of everything we do.

“We hope to bring the audience the best of the BBC both from Scotland and around the globe, plus some exciting new on-screen talent.

“We want to bring audiences stories they won’t find anywhere else. We are looking at fresh, creative and engaging ways of telling stories that matter to Scottish audiences.”

Audiences will be able to access the best of The Nine on digital platforms.

The launch of the Nine was delayed until February next year after being tipped to air this autumn.

Ofcom gave the public service broadcaster the green light for a Scotland channel in April. It has a programme budget of just over £32m a year and is expected to create 80 new jobs for journalists.

BBC North America correspondent James Cook revealed he would be returning to Scotland to take up the chief news correspondent role on The Nine earlier this year.

Picture: BBC