On 30 June 2019, Faisal Islam signed off from Sky News for the final time as its political editor — a role he’d held since 1 June 2014 — stepping away not with a bang, but with a quiet, reflective sigh. He’d covered the Scottish independence referendum, two general elections, Brexit’s chaotic unraveling, and more cabinet reshuffles than most could count. "An extraordinary period," he called it. "A rollercoaster of mutating political crises." And now, at 42, he was walking away from the political fray — not to retire, but to return home.
Back to the Numbers
The twist? Islam wasn’t leaving journalism. He was returning to his first love: economics. His move to the BBC as economics editor, effective 1 July 2019, wasn’t a lateral shift. It was a homecoming. He’d cut his teeth at The Observer as an economics correspondent before joining Channel 4 News in 2004, where he spent a decade turning balance sheets into bedtime stories for the public. Judges at the WorkWorld Foundation called him "the man who made abstract economics feel human" when he won Broadcast News Reporter of the Year in 2010. That’s the legacy he was reclaiming.At Sky, he’d been the rare journalist who could dissect a PFI contract like a surgeon and then pivot to interviewing David Cameron with the kind of calm intensity that made even the most rehearsed politicians pause. His 2017 Royal Television Society win for Interview of the Year? Not just luck. It was mastery. He didn’t shout. He listened. And then he asked the question no one else dared.
The Successor and the Shift
In his place stepped Beth Rigby, Sky News’s deputy political editor since 2016. Rigby, who’d spent years shadowing Islam’s moves, called the promotion "a huge opportunity and challenge" — a phrase that carried more weight than it sounded. She wasn’t just filling shoes. She was stepping into the shadow of a man who’d made Sky’s political coverage a must-watch. His departure wasn’t a quiet exit. It was a seismic shift in the channel’s editorial DNA.Islam’s exit was announced back in November 2018, but the timing was deliberate. The BBC, under pressure to sharpen its economic reporting after years of being seen as reactive, had been quietly scouting for someone who could explain inflation, interest rates, and fiscal policy without jargon. They found him. And they didn’t just want him to write. They wanted him to speak. By 2020, he was appearing regularly on Newsnight, filling in for absent presenters — a role that soon became semi-permanent. He wasn’t just reporting the economy. He was becoming its voice.
Why This Matters
This wasn’t just a personnel change. It reflected a deeper truth: audiences are tired of political theatre. They want to understand how decisions affect their mortgages, their pensions, their groceries. Islam’s strength has always been translating the dry into the human. When he talked about "bankers trading weather," he wasn’t being whimsical — he was exposing how climate risk was becoming a financial asset. That’s the kind of insight that sticks.His move to the BBC also signaled a quiet realignment in British media. Sky News, once seen as the scrappy challenger, was now building its own political powerhouse with Rigby. Meanwhile, the BBC — the old giant — was quietly betting on depth over drama. Islam was their ace. And he knew it. In a 2025 interview with CA Magazine, he put it simply: "There’s a slightly more wholesome relationship with people if you’re talking about economics than when you’re talking politics."
A Life in the Ledger
Beyond the studios and studios, Islam’s roots run deep. His father, an accountant in Manchester, instilled in him a reverence for numbers — not as cold facts, but as stories of people. In 2020, after his father’s funeral, Islam became godfather to his father’s longtime colleague’s granddaughter. That detail, tucked into a niche magazine, says more about him than any award ever could. He didn’t just report on the economy. He understood its human cost.His career has been a steady arc: from The Observer to Channel 4, to Sky’s political spotlight, and now back to the BBC’s economic heart. Five years of politics taught him how power bends reality. But economics? That’s where the truth hides — in the numbers, the charts, the quiet decisions that ripple through kitchens, factories, and schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Faisal Islam leave Sky News after only five years as political editor?
Islam left Sky News not because he was burned out, but because he was returning to his core expertise: economics. Though he excelled in politics, his journalistic roots were in financial reporting, and the BBC offered him the platform to return to that focus full-time. His move was planned since late 2018, with the BBC actively recruiting him to strengthen its economic coverage amid growing public demand for clarity on inflation and fiscal policy.
Who replaced Faisal Islam at Sky News, and what’s her background?
Beth Rigby, who had served as Sky News’s deputy political editor since 2016, took over as political editor on 1 July 2019. Rigby had spent years covering Westminster, including multiple general elections and Brexit debates. She was already a trusted voice within the network and was seen as the natural successor — a move praised by industry outlets like Press Gazette for its continuity and depth.
What awards has Faisal Islam won, and what do they say about his style?
Islam won the Royal Television Society’s Interview of the Year in 2017 for his probing conversation with David Cameron, and was named Broadcast News Reporter of the Year in 2010 for making complex economics accessible. Judges consistently praised his ability to translate dry data into compelling narratives. His style is calm, precise, and deeply human — he doesn’t chase headlines; he uncovers meaning behind them.
How has Faisal Islam’s role evolved at the BBC since joining in 2019?
At the BBC, Islam initially took over as economics editor from Kamal Ahmed, but quickly expanded his role to include regular appearances on Newsnight starting in 2020. He now bridges analysis and presentation, often explaining fiscal policy and market trends in live interviews. His dual role reflects the BBC’s push to make economic journalism more visible — and more relatable — to the public.
What impact did Faisal Islam have on Sky News’s political coverage?
Islam elevated Sky News’s political reporting from punditry to policy. He brought economic rigor to political debates — asking not just "who won?" but "what will this cost?" His coverage of Brexit, PFI contracts, and corporate subsidies reshaped how viewers understood political decisions. Under him, Sky became known for depth, not just speed — a legacy that continues under Beth Rigby.
Is Faisal Islam still active in journalism today?
Yes. As of 2025, Faisal Islam remains BBC’s economics editor and a regular presenter on Newsnight. He continues to write and appear on major news programs, often focusing on cost-of-living pressures, public sector funding, and global economic shocks. His work has become essential viewing for anyone trying to understand how policy translates into everyday life.