Presenter Nihal Arthanayake is to join BBC Radio 5 live to co-host the Afternoon Edition alongside Sarah Brett.

Nihal currently hosts an award-winning phone-in programme on BBC Asian Network.

He will start his new role at 5 live in September, presenting from Monday to Thursday. Nihal takes over from Dan Walker who joined BBC Breakfast earlier this year.

He will continue to host a show on Asian Network every Friday from 10am-1pm, and the station will announce his replacement later this month.

Nihal started out at BBC Radio 1, and has been a regular voice on 5 live since he was part of the team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. Originally from Essex, he hosts the mid-morning programme on the Asian Network which won a Sony Gold Award in 2010 for Best Speech programme.

His new role is part of a range of new daytime presenter announcements on 5 live.

Emma Barnett who currently hosts a Sunday evening show moves to weekdays, to front 5 live Daily on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Adrian Chiles continues to host 5 live Daily on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“Radio royalty” Jane Garvey and Peter Allen are to be reunited for a brand new show on Sunday evenings. The pair launched Radio 5 live on the Breakfast programme in 1994, and went on to present Drive together, winning six Sony Radio Awards.

Jonathan Wall, controller of BBC Radio 5 live, said: “Nihal is one of the most exciting talents in UK radio today. He is already an accomplished broadcaster who knows how to connect with listeners, as he demonstrates daily on his Asian Network show. He’ll join Sarah Brett on Afternoon Edition.

"Sarah has done an outstanding job since she joined the station nearly two years ago. I think Sarah and Nihal have the potential to be another brilliant 5 live partnership.”

Nihal said: "I love radio and I am lucky enough to have been both a music DJ at Radio 1 for over a decade and then a speech broadcaster for the BBC Asian Network where I learnt so much, so for me 5 live is the perfect place for me to evolve further.

"I genuinely couldn't be happier at being asked to present Afternoon Edition with Sarah.

"I love listening to 5 live and ever since I worked on the Commonwealth Games coverage, I’ve wanted to be a fully-fledged team member. It's a big move for me but I’m excited about bringing my mic skills to the station”.