BBC News: Presenters & Rotas

James Menendez actually presented from Westminster for the first half hour of the 5am. She was just in the studio as back up incase the line was lost with James - and to do the :30 headlines and WBR.

Here on World News we had Sally Bundock the full hour.

Reeta Chakrabarti showing what an excellent interviewer she is, with a pretty unexpected live studio interview with Douglas Carswell on the News channel. Her political correspondent days really shining through.

So even through it was his last Dateline London today, it turns out Gavin Esler's final appearance on the NC Is next Friday as he has one more News at 5/Film review to go.

Gavin's back on Friday 31st for his final 5 and Film Review

— Sam Taylor (@samtaylornews) March 25, 2017

No doubt the countdowns that include Gavin will be updated then.

Michelle Fleury is in Washington presenting 100 Days with Christan Fraser in London.

And today is Carole Walker's last day at the BBC After 37 years.

My last day at the BBC after 37 years. Huge thanks to all who have helped me ..and given me stories! pic.twitter.com/mHpSr7OrzE

— Carole Walker (@carolewalkercw) March 30, 2017

No way!!!!! 37 years?

So she must of been working at the BBC when she was 3 years old then?!

Carole isn't even old enough to retire, she's in her late 50s.

The way things are going with pensions, soon nobody will be old enough to retire !!

There is, or certainly was, a point in the BBC pension scheme, where by a certain age, if you were offered voluntary redundancy/early retirement, and didn't take it, you ended up effectively paying the BBC to work for them. You were financially better off leaving than staying... Can't remember the precise age, but it was around 55 I think.

Under those circumstances, I can see many BBC staffers (as opposed to freelancers / fixed term contract people) thinking very carefully about leaving, and absolutely understand why they may chose to go.