A former editor of the BBC Ten O’Clock News has joined the University of Essex as its founding professor of journalism.

Jonathan Baker, who left the BBC earlier this year after more than 30 years in news, is the university’s first founding professor in a new curriculum area for more than 20 years.

Mr Baker held a number of senior positions across BBC television, radio and newsgathering, including Executive Editor Radio News, World News Editor and Head of Newsgathering.

He was also head of the BBC College of Journalism which is responsible for delivering journalism training to more than 8,000 BBC journalists in the UK and overseas.

At the university, he will be responsible for developing an innovative curriculum for undergraduate and postgraduate courses which are due to start next year.