Anna Foster is to join BBC Radio 4's Today programme as one of the programme's main presenters, following the departure of Mishal Husain in December.

Foster is a former Middle East correspondent and has also previously presented BBC Radio 5 Live Drive and Radio 1's Newsbeat, as well as the corporation's flagship TV news bulletins.

She will present many editions of Today from Salford, as part of the BBC's efforts to better represent more areas of the UK beyond London.

In a statement, Foster said: "There are few more exciting opportunities for a journalist than presenting Today, and I'm thrilled to be joining the team.

"I've always loved making important, agenda-setting, engaging radio, and there's nowhere better to do that. It's such a beloved programme to so many people, and I can't wait to be a part of it."

The BBC said that, in addition to presenting Today, Foster would "continue to play a key role in helping to lead the BBC's coverage of foreign news" and will still be seen on TV news bulletins for major stories.

Bosses are reported to have been keen to ensure the presenter replacing Husain had a similar level of international reporting knowledge and experience.

"She brings important international reporting experience at a time when it is needed so urgently by listeners to Radio 4," said the station's controller Mohit Bakaya.

Foster is one of several correspondents and presenters who have co-hosted episodes of Today in recent weeks following Husain's departure.

Simon Jack and Jonny Dymond are the most frequent stand-in presenters on Today, however the Sunday Times reported bosses were keen to appoint a female host to replace Husain to maintain gender balance on the programme.

The other current presenters of Today are Emma Barnett, Justin Webb, Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson.

The BBC's director of live and daily news, John McAndrew, said Foster had "tremendous range and rich, varied experience" spanning more than 20 years, after she joined the BBC in 2002.

As a foreign correspondent, Foster has reported on the Turkish earthquake, the Israel-Gaza war, the Ebola outbreak, the famine in South Sudan and the conflict in Ukraine.

Husain joined the Today programme in 2013, but left the BBC last year for a new role at Bloomberg.