FORMER ITV news presenter Wesley Smith will be back on the air for a one-off show thanks to Oxford Mail readers.

After closely watching our four-week petition, which called for ITV bosses to reinstate Mr Smith, the BBC invited the popular presenter to co-host a special Bank Holiday radio programme.

From 9am to noon on Monday, the 45-year-old presenter, who worked for ITV for 20 years, will host a show with his old friend and ex-work colleague Geraldine Peers, who now hosts BBC Oxford news.

Mr Smith said: “We are both really looking forward to working together again. I’ve never done radio in my life so this is a great opportunity.”

Mr Smith was one of the casualties of ITV cut backs and was made redundant in February. More than 2,400 people joined the Oxford Mail’s campaign.

BBC Radio Oxford assistant editor Will Banks said: “We saw how popular the Oxford Mail campaign was so we were very keen to give him the chance to do something for the Oxfordshire audience again.

“At the moment it’s literally just a one off but who knows what will happen.”