BBC broadcaster Simon McCoy – best known as Britain’s most sarcastic and hilariously indiscreet news presenter – is joining GB News after 18 years at the corporation, it was revealed today. The 59-year-old, famed for his dry sense of humour on live TV especially when it comes to delivering news about the Royal Family, had to confirm his departure after his floor manager wished him luck on his last day. Mr McCoy, who joined the BBC in 2004, presented the News at One for the last time this afternoon and has been showered with praise by colleagues and viewers on social media, who shared clips of his funniest moments. He signed off with a smile, telling BBC 1 viewers: ‘From me, it’s good afternoon – and goodbye’, and later on the BBC News channel he made colleagues laugh as he clutched some A4 in a homage to the famous moment he started a live report clutching a packet of photocopying paper he thought was his iPad in 2011. GB News, the broadcaster run by former BBC presenter Andrew Neil, announced Mr McCoy would be joining them just as he started his last show at 1pm. He is arguably the biggest name to join the new broadcaster along with Sky News stalwart Colin Brazier and new MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton, formerly of The Sun and talkRADIO. The channel will launch in freeview later this year amid claims they are trying to woo Piers Morgan after he left ITV. John McAndrew, director of news and programmes at GB News, said: ‘Simon’s journalistic integrity, warmth and personality is a perfect fit for what we’re doing. He’s a brilliant journalist with an exceptional ability to relate to people in an upbeat way so we’re keen to get him out from behind a desk and talking to people from all parts of the United Kingdom.’ Mr McCoy, a twice married father-of-one famed for his dry delivery an on-air jokes, began his career as a press agency, joined ITV and then Sky News before moving to the BBC 18 years ago. He has recently found love with Eighties pin-up Emma Samms, who starred in US drama Dynasty, and friends say he will soon become her fourth husband, and she will be his third wife. The veteran journalist has made several infamous gags and on-air gaffes. Once he was so desperately annoyed by a news segment on a dog surfing competition, he sighed his way through the report. McCoy is also known for his sarcastic commentary of royal events, including urging BBC viewers to ‘clear their diaries’ for the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child Louis, adding that people should ‘get the time off – because that’s what I’m doing’. He also couldn’t stop giggling when Kate’s sister Pippa had her first child. On another occasion the journalist reported that the Queen had been forced to cancel garden parties at Buckingham Palace, saying with sass: ‘It may affect you, but it doesn’t affect me.’ Once he cried with laughter during a feature on a pianist who played for monkeys in slot thailand. At the end of last year he made viewers laugh when he said that the BBC had made a ‘special’ best of 2020 film for them to enjoy. He had brief pause and a trademark sigh he looked down the camera and said ‘exactly’ when no film appeared because it had been such a miserable 12 months because of Covid-19. His exit was revealed by his colleague, Niall Jackson, sparking a frenzy online with people sharing their favourite McCoy moments. The presenter replied to many thanking them for their best wishes and saying he was leaving ‘after 18 years.. Last day today’. Mr Jackson had tweeted this morning: ‘If you think he’s a handful on-screen, imagine what he’s like off it? Only got to floor manager 4 years of his 17+ at BBC News so was nice to do his final week’. BBC News presenter Simon McCoy has announced he is leaving the corporation after 18 years – but has not said where he is going McCoy has been known for his on-air gaffes, including when picked up a ream of a A4 paper instead of his iPad by mistake. He carried on with a straight face in a clip that made headlines around the globe Today he made colleagues laugh as he clutched some A4 in a homage to the famous moment above nine years ago McCoy has found love with Eighties pin-up Emma Samms (pictured together)— and friends say he will soon become her fourth husband. 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