Adam Boulton to leave Sky News

Adam Boulton wearing a blue shirt talking at the camera with his left hand held up
Adam Boulton standing in front a grey background wearing a black top

Broadcasting legend Adam Boulton’s quizzed UK Prime Ministers and interviewed US Presidents but the pioneer of political broadcasting will leave Sky News at the end of the year. 

After a 33-year-long career with Sky News, Adam Boulton has announced he is leaving the broadcaster. The pioneer of political broadcasting will depart from his role as editor-at-large and Sky News presenter on New Year’s Eve 2021.

Over the past three decades, Boulton has been a figurehead of British political media landscape – and a familiar face on television sets across the country. He grew his career across two platforms, TV-am, where he started out as Political Editor in 1984, and Sky News where, as Political Editor, he set up the channel’s political team for its launch in 1989. 

After 25 years in this role, Boulton became Sky’s News editor-at-large and full-time presenter in 2014. Notable interviews exclusives during his career include world leaders such as US Presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, as well as every Prime Minister since Sir Alec Douglas-Home. He’s also reported on major stories including 9/11, the death of Princess Diana, the fall of Thatcher, the rise of New Labour, the Balkan, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. He also famously had an on air spat with Alastair Campbell (“cab drivers still ask me about that”) and got punched by Dennis Healey.

Most recently Boulton has presented Sky’s All Out Politics week-day programme and podcast, where, over the past 12 months, he’s kept viewers updated on everything from the election of President Joe Biden and the second impeachment of Donald Trump, to the Budget and COP26.

“I am immensely proud of all we have achieved at Sky News,” Boulton says. “It has been an honour to be part of the team that founded Britain’s first rolling news channel, transforming the way news and politics are covered in this country and around the world. My career has been at two start-ups – TV-am and Sky. Now, after six Prime Ministers, seven US Presidents, and eight Sky CEOs, it is time for new things.”

As for what’s next, he says: “As the mainstream media evolve, I will continue to broadcast and write for Sky, Reaction, and others.” 

Jeremy Darroch, executive chairman of Sky, which has yet to announce who will replace Boulton, says: “It has been an enormous pleasure and inspiration to work with Adam over my 18 years at Sky. He has been at the forefront of the British political landscape – breaking news and setting the agenda. He’s been with us at Sky since we launched and helped shape the DNA of Sky News.”