Sophy Ridge to present Saturday and Sunday politics shows for Sky News during ‘Brexit election’

Sophy Ridge presenting her show Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Sky News — |

Sophy Ridge will present a new Saturday morning politics show in addition to Ridge on Sunday throughout this year’s general election campaign.

The new show starts at 9am from this weekend and has been commissioned as part of Sky News’ plans to cover the run up to what it has dubbed the “Brexit Election”, with voters going to the polls on 12 December.

Sky News has said hearing from people, as well as politicians, “has never been more important” and plans to broadcast part of its programming live every weekday from a different constituency.

In meeting this aim, Mark Austin will present the Path to Power, speaking to voters in towns and communities across the UK “where this election will be decided”, said the broadcaster.

It has also launched its own fact-checking service called Campaign Check, led by Ed Conway, to verify claims made during the campaign, with support from UK fact-checking charity Full Fact.

“With trust in politicians at all time low, checking the facts is a crucial role of a news organisation as trusted as Sky News,” said the broadcaster.

Under The Radar, led by Rowland Manthorpe, will “shine a light” on the ways voters are profiled and targeted with specific messages, amid concerns about so-called “dark ads” on Facebook and other social media.

The Campaign show, hosted by Niall Paterson, will broadcast live from the Sky News studio in Westminster every weeknight with a look back on the day’s campaigning.

John Ryley, head of Sky News, said: “It has been a period of huge political instability and Sky News has been on the front line of making sense of that for our viewers. We will continue to do that, but this will be unlike any election in history.

“Sky News has spent months planning for this possibility and we have a fantastic set of plans to provide a new and fresh way of following the election, reflecting the very different and unknown territory we are all venturing in to.”

In September Sky News announced a change to its morning slate, moving Kay Burley to a new Breakfast slot and launching The Early Rundown.

It will also continue to broadcast All Out Politics with Adam Boulton, Ian King Live, The Sarah-Jane Mee Show, Sky News Today and Sky News at Ten with Anna Botting and Anna Jones.