Ipswich Town communications director, Terry Baxter, is to take over as host of the flagship breakfast show on Radio Suffolk, The Evening Star can exclusively reveal today.

Mr Baxter, who has carved out his own distinctive and successful career at ITFC, returns to the station where he became an accomplished sports broadcaster.

He has been hired by Radio Suffolk boss, Peter Cook, as the new breakfast host when current presenter, Mark Murphy, moves to a new slot in the early autumn.

Radio insiders said last night they believed Mr Baxter will not be severing his links with Ipswich Town where he has been pivotal in setting up the club’s award-winning community trust.

Whilst he will leave ITFC chief executive Simon Clegg’s side, in his communications role, he is believed to be staying on

as trust chief executive where he has grown fond of forging links with the Suffolk community.

The new role will see him rise in the early hours with a brief to drive a “cutting-edge, new style” of breakfast show, radio

sources said last night.

I’m thrilled to be taking on such a prestigious programme,” said Mr Baxter.

“Mark is an incredibly tough act to follow, but I can’t wait to work with the team to create an exciting new breakfast programme for the county.”

Mr Cook, editor of BBC Suffolk, said: “Terry’s an accomplished broadcaster with a big personality, an in-depth knowledge of Suffolk and a great sense of fun.

“We’ve got a brilliant team of presenters here at BBC Radio Suffolk and Terry will be a fantastic addition.”

He also paid tribute to Mr Murphy, who has been at the station since it launched in 1990.

“I’d like to thank Mark for all that he’s done on the Breakfast Show over the past 11 years, the fantastic profile he has created for both himself and the radio station, his award winning track-record and his ability to connect with our audience,” he said.

“I think those are all qualities which he will take to the mid-morning show where I have no doubt he’ll be a big hit.

“I’d also like to thank James and the team for doing such a grand job in launching the new sound to mid-morning and being one of the first in the country to embrace its more topical, news-orientated brief.

“James’ energetic style has been a big part of this and I’m confident he’ll do a great job at the weekend.”

A radio source said last night: “Terry is an inspired choice by Cook. He is a consummate professional and knows the station inside and out.

“He is a big brand in his own right.”

One of Baxter’s radio highlights was to commentate on Ipswich Town’s triumph at Wembley in the 2000 play-off final against Barnsley.

He spent more than eight years at the station and has spent the last decade at Portman Road.

He has been at the ITFC communications helm during the tumultuous days of the last decade when there has been relegation from the Premier League and a succession of battles to regain top-flight status.

He has overseen news-flow from ITFC as the club entered and exited administration and as David Sheepshanks left the chairman’s seat.

He was also pivotal during the takeover by multi-millionaire magnate Marcus Evans.

Baxter forged a strong relationship with Evans, meeting the mystery magnate on a number of occasions in Ipswich and London.

He has been a staunch ally of Simon Clegg, current chief executive, as he established himself as Town’s number one.

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