Liverpool radio station veteran quits after 27 years

Mick Ord worked at BBC Radio Merseyside for 27 years

BBC Radio Merseyside's managing editor Mick Ord is leaving the station after 27 years.

He is the third BBC local radio boss in the North West to announce his departure in the past two weeks after John Ryan at Manchester and Nigel Dyson at Cumbria.

Mick is taking up a new position as Editor with BBC Knowledge and Learning (Religion, Ethics & Topicality).

He will leave in April after 27 years at the station where he started out as a freelance reporter.

Mick said in a statement to staff: “As a scouser you couldn’t really wish for better job - it’s been a joy and a privilege to work here.

"The team and listeners are second to none and whoever takes over as manager is a very lucky person indeed.

“I’m really looking forward to the new challenge at Media City and if I enjoy it half as much as I have at Radio Merseyside I’ll be delighted.”

Aziz Rashid, Head of Region, BBC North West, praised Mick's contribution to the radio station over his tenure.

He said: “BBC Radio Merseyside has grown in strength and stature under Mick’s leadership –it now has 368,000 weekly listeners – the highest number since 2006.

"It has the biggest BBC Local Radio audience outside London, and one of the largest audience shares of listening anywhere in radio, 18.5%.

"Mick himself is a Liverpool institution, and I will be really sad to see him leave."

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