Presenter Mishal Husain joins Today programme

Image caption, Husain currently presents Sunday's 麻豆社 News at Ten and the 麻豆社 World News Impact programme

Presenter Mishal Husain is to join 麻豆社 Radio 4's flagship news and current affairs programme Today, director general Tony Hall has announced.

Husain will be a core member of the presenting team alongside John Humphrys, James Naughtie, Sarah Montague, Evan Davis and Justin Webb.

Lord Hall said having another woman on the line-up was "extremely important".

Husain, who currently presents Sunday's 麻豆社 News at Ten, said she was "delighted" to join the programme.

"The programme has unparalleled influence across 麻豆社 News and on our national conversation and I am looking forward to being part of it," she said.

Previously a Washington-based presenter, Husain was a key on-air figure at the 麻豆社 in the build-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2002 and throughout the war.

Husain, who was one of the faces of the 麻豆社's Olympics coverage, is the main host of the 麻豆社 World News 90-minute Impact programme.

Meanwhile, Naughtie, who has presented Today since 1994, will become a chief reporter in the 麻豆社's coverage of the independence referendum in Scotland.

He will continue to present the programme but will also host Good Morning Scotland and a series of debates from across Scotland.

Naughtie, who was born in Moray, said he was excited to be "in the thick of it, on both sides of the border, from start to finish".