BBC Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman is to step down from his role on the programme after 25 years.

BBC director general Tony Hall and director of news and current affairs James Harding were informed of Paxman's decision last Summer but he agreed to stay with the programme during Ian Katz's transition as editor and changes within the team.

Paxman will present his final Newsnight in June and will continue to front BBC Two's University Challenge.

Harding said of Paxman: "He never failed to ask the difficult questions and always refused to accept glib or deceptive answers. Of course we will miss him but he has set standards for our journalism that the rest of us must follow. We accept his decision to move on but I think it is fair to say that the only people really celebrating his decision will be the politicians and public figures he has so often and so brilliantly held to account.”