Special BBC Politics East to focus on Corby as long-standing Northants reporter Stuart Ratcliffe prepares to bow out after corporation shakeup

Stuart Ratcliffe is set to leave the BBC after 24 years - and he's back in Corby tomorrow where he did his first ever report for a special edition of BBC Politics East

Corby’s where Stuart did his first BBC story back in 1999

The regional BBC Politics East show will focus on Corby tomorrow as a popular face prepares to leave the corporation after 24 years.

A round-table debate from the Corby Cube will also include reports from around the town, which is where Northamptonshire reporter Stuart Ratcliffe filmed his first ever feature for BBC Look East.

Ahead of the Spring budget, the show will focus on topics including jobs, Levelling Up and Corby’s incredible growth.

BBC Politics East will be coming from Corby in the morning

Stuart will exit the corporation at the end of the month after a cost-saving restructure resulted in the closure of the Cambridge newsroom, leaving many popular journalists and technical staff jobless.

He has been at the corporation for 24 years and has championed Corby throughout his tenure. Before his official exit at the end of March, he wanted to return to the town where he filmed his first ever TV report.

Stuart said: “We chose Corby as it is such an interesting and diverse economy. The Northants Chamber of Commerce has said in the past that Corby is a good bellwether for the UK economy. When Corby sneezes the rest of the country catches a cold.”

Stuart will front two sections of the show. He will look at issues including the Orchard House Foods closure and will chat to Urban & Civic about the success of Priors Hall.

Many presenters, journalists and technical staff have lost their jobs after the closure of the BBC's Cambridge newsroom

He’ll also speak to Tata Steel about their investment programme and a town recruiter who has seen a surge in people looking for work since Christmas.

Stuart said: “I also talk about how Corby was the first place I filmed in for the BBC in 1999 and the changes I have seen in the town in the last 24 years.”

The debate will focus on what people want from the budget, how businesses are feeling, why Northamptonshire missed out on Levelling up Funding and the future for services like Pen Green.

On the panel are MP Tom Pursglove, Hilary Chipping from SEMLEP, Nick Bolton from Electric Corby, Mandy Young from Adrenaline Alley, former Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Stanbra, Labour councillor Zoe McGhee and Amy Devine from Pen Green Children’s Centre.

The programme is presented by Amelia Reynolds and will air at 10am tomorrow (Sunday, March 12) on BBC 1.