A TOP BBC radio star has announced his decision to quit his afternoon show after eight years.
The Essex born journalist, 52, and former rap music promoter left Radio 1 over ten years ago.
He moved to Manchester in 2016 to work on 5 Live and lives there with his wife and kids.
The star has also enjoyed stints presenting documentaries on Channel 4 and hosts a podcast.
Nihal Arthanayake today revealed his departure from his biggest show to date and shared his next career move.
He said: “Hello everyone, some professional news from me.
“I am leaving daytimes on @bbc5live to concentrate on the aspect of broadcasting I love most, which is in depth long form interviews, which I will continue to do on @bbc5live on Sunday evenings and the Headliners Podcast.
“I also need more time to finish my second book! And have more time to do the things that I never seem to have time to.
“Thank you for being such an incredible audience for the last 8 years! My last daytime show will be 27th June. let’s have a party.”
His followers were quick to wish him well, with one writing: “I’m both gutted and excited to hear this – I absolutely love your show in the afternoon, but I also think you’re our country’s greatest interviewer and this is only going to make that so much better. Congratulations.”
And one more wrote: “You will be greatly missed on daytime Nihal but looking forward to your long forms which are always brilliant!”
In April last year Nihal revealed his ordeal a “drunk man” in Altrincham where he had been drinking with his wife and said he was racially abused.
In a shocking video posted on Twitter he said the man asked him if he was a doctor before calling him a p*** and using the n-word, a racist slur.
In November he admitted that working within an “overwhelmingly white” environment at the BBC depressed him, and said it had affected his mental health due to the lack of diversity.
He said: “It’s really affecting me that I walk in and all I see is white people.”
