BBC radio presenter Julian Clegg will step down after 23 years of hosting his popular breakfast show.

Standing as one of the UK’s longest-serving radio presenters, the 59-year-old revealed that he plans to retire from hosting BBC Radio Solent’s breakfast show on his 60th birthday on December 5, which will be the very last time that he goes on air.

The broadcaster has woken up at 3am every weekday morning to accommodate and entertain people on their daily commutes in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight between the hours of 6.30am to 10am.

He announced the news on air during his show yesterday morning and said that the time has come for him and his wife to have a lie-in together.

Julian said: “It’s time for me and Carolyn to have a lie in. I want to thank you for being a wonderful audience and all the people over the years who have worked with me who have been amazing.”

The popular show provides news, entertainment, travel, sport and weather updates.

He presented the breakfast programme for the first time on February 3 1997 after taking over from David Dunning and has been a firm favourite host for many people who have listened to him as a broadcaster over the years.

Julian began a career as an accountant, then started work in broadcasting for BBC local radio in Sussex to eventually go back to his roots in the New Forest and join BBC Radio Solent.

The Julian Clegg breakfast show has won a BBC award for its original journalism as a result of a ‘newsmaker’ inspiring a story, as the show offers a Newsmaker Line available for listeners to suggest their own stories and raise issues that matter in their street or community.

During his time at BBC Solent, he provided coverage of the D-Day commemorations in 2004 and 2014 and of the fleet in the Solent for The Queen’s Jubilee.

He has also ran unique local stories, including a lady who was swindled out of all her £64,000 worth of money and after being on the show, the bank gave her money back.