Alex Osborne Leaves BBC for ITV After 16 Years

weather presenter Alex Osborne has quit her role after 16 years as she heads to rival channel .

The meteorologist, who presents the weather for BBC South West, will be  

On Wednesday Alex wrote on X: '...And the 'news' is.... I'm going to @ITV! 

'Will be sad to after years at the BBC, but excited for the next chapter as a journalist... 4th May, my last day!'

Many rushed to her post to reply with kind words about the news, saying: 'Congratulations Alex hope the move goes well.' 

'Best of luck in your new job. Making new memories with ITV.'  

'Good luck Alex! You’ll be fab at ITV!'

'Very exciting, Alex. Well done!'

'Congratulations.' 

'Good luck sad to see you go.' 

Alex joined the Beeb in 2010 and over the years has been involved in a number of roles.

She originally took on the role of live events showcase presenter and two years later was an assistant producer/researcher for BBC Radio 3.

Then in 2013 she was a project and events coordinator for BBC Proms & BBC Symphony Orchestra. 

The broadcaster has also been a travel presenter and entertainment reporter for BBC Radio Devon in 2011.

Alex was also a production assistant for BBC Factual Television. 

She's not the first weather presenter to . 

Earlier this month Carol Kirkwood

The TV presenter announced she would be walking away from the series back in January, with a tearful on-screen announcement to viewers. 

Carol, 63, struggled to get her words out as she admitting she 'loves her job' but was keen to spend more time with her husband, police officer Steve Randall.  

But the presenter appeared to hold it together as she delivered her final forecast on Wednesday April 1, even as she was met with loving well-wishes in a VT from her fellow BBC co-stars.

Carol was seen joining Sally, 54, and Jon, 56, in the studio for the last time, smiling for the cameras as she revealed what fans could expect from the weather this week.

She went on to join Sally and Jon on the sofa at the end of her broadcast, who thanked her for providing details for a 'few days ahead' so they could continue to have a 'Carol forecast' even after her departure. 

Sally began: 'I don't know if you know Carol, but you have changed the way weather is reported on television in lots of ways, whether you're on the map or out on location, whether you're meeting our viewers...

'You've been broadcasting from massive events over the years.'

Carol went on to list: 'The Chelsea Flower Show, Wimbledon, the poppies at the Tower of London, Royal Ascot, there have been so many.'

The BBC then played an emotional VT from other stars at the BBC sending Carol their well-wishes, including Sue Barker, Vicky McClure, Paul Merton, Zoe Ball, Clare Balding, Chris Evans and Sir Chris Hoy.

A second tribute VT also saw Charlie Stayt, Louise Minchin, Sian Williams, Susanna Reid and Dan Walker gush over 'lovely, kind and caring' Carol as they remembered her time on screen over the year.

The messages included telling Carol she was a 'ray of sunshine', 'great friend' and told her how she 'brought smiles to so much of the nation' as they predicted that audiences would 'really miss her'.

Sally and Jon also surprised Carol with a message from Bryan Adams, who thanked her for 'all the great weather reports over the years', leaving her in shock.

'That was lovely,' Carol gushed over the series of videos as it came to an end, adding: 'It's lovely to have made such brilliant friends, all genuinely lovely people.'