Broadcaster Carrie Gracie has left the the BBC after 33 years, explaining that it is "time to do something new".

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The journalist, who was BBC News' China Editor from 2013 until 2018, when she resigned in protest of pay inequalities between male and female staff at the organisation.

She returned to the broadcaster after the BBC apologised for the pay discrepancy and reached an agreement with her over back pay, donating the amount to gender equality campaigning charity the Fawcett Society.

In a Twitter post yesterday, Gracie announced that she had hosted BBC News for the last time, writing; "Proud of a few things: told the China story, fought for a fair workplace, gave away the back pay I won, wrote the book."

"But more of all grateful to audiences and brilliant colleagues. THE BEST. I'll miss you," she added.

The tweet accompanied a short video, in which Gracie is seen sat at the BBC News desk saying: "So that was my last shift. Goodbye BBC – I'm out," before pretending to perform a mic-drop.

In 2018, Gracie accused the BBC of "breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparency pay structure" after a salary reveal at the broadcaster revealed that male international correspondents were earning up to £100,000 more than her.

Various high-profile equal pay disputes followed, including when an employment tribunal found that presenter Samira Ahmed should have been paid the same amount as colleague Jeremy Vine for similar work.

A number of Gracie's colleagues at the BBC tweeted goodbyes, including BBC Politics Live's Jo Coburn, who wrote: "What a career, what a contribution, what a woman! You will be missed (particularly by me on Saturday)."

BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan, Newsnight's Evan Davis and BBC News channel's Martine Croxall also tweeted farewell messages.

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Authors

Lauren Morris
Lauren MorrisEntertainment and Factual Writer
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