IRISH JOURNALIST FERGAL Keane has said he is leaving the BBC after 37 years with “immense gratitude” to the corporation.

Keane who has won awards including a Bafta, an Emmy, and the George Orwell Prize, has covered stories ranging from South Africa’s transition to democracy, to the handover of Hong Kong, and the Rwandan genocide.

As the BBC’s Global Affairs Correspondent, he has more recently been seen reporting on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and is now completing his first novel and working on a new piece of non-fiction.

Keane, who joined the BBC in 1989 as Northern Ireland correspondent, said: “I leave with a natural degree of sadness but with immense gratitude to the organisation and the people I have been privileged to work alongside.

“The BBC remains the greatest public service broadcaster anywhere in the world.

“To go when I still have the drive and curiosity for fresh challenges was always my plan.”

In 1996, Keane was made an OBE for services to journalism.

Director of news content for the BBC Richard Burgess said: “Fergal’s career has been defined by the quality of his journalism and storytelling, as well as the humanity and empathy which has imbued all his reporting.

“Beyond his professional achievements, Fergal is clever, kind and generous, as well as thoughtful and witty. We will miss him as a valued colleague.”