by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Soon-to-be-axed BBC presenters Geoff Clark and Beverley Thompson are pulling in more viewers, it has been revealed.

According to sources at the Tunbridge Wells studios, strong ratings for the BBC’s regional news shows, including the flagship South East Today, have left staff wondering why bosses fired the popular pair.

The latest quarterly viewing figures, shown to KentOnline, reveal that for all bulletins - breakfast, lunch, 6.30pm and 10.30pm - South East Today had an average weekly reach of 46.9 per cent.

Sources claim this is the second highest in England and 6.5 per cent higher than the previous quarter. The weekly reach for the 6.30pm show was 25.5 per cent, said to be the third best in England. The figures are understood to be higher than for the competing ITV Meridian news programmes.

The figures apparently show that the 1.30pm programme, which is hardly ever presented by Clark and Thompson, had the worst reach in England at 9.3 per cent.

The audience are also asked to rate BBC South East Today bulletins in terms of how much they appreciate them. The score of 81 per cent was the second best in England.

A source said: "Staff are left asking themselves why management have decided to change presenters if things are going so well."

Editor Quentin Smith and Mick Rawsthorne, head of the south east region, have come under fire for axing the experienced Clark and Thompson and replacing them with the younger team of Rob Smith and Polly Evans from the end of October.

The decision, allegedly prompted by comments from a handful of people in a "focus group," and a sounding of 820 other people, has been widely condemned by viewers who have made their opposition known to the BBC and Kent Online News.

The research, which staff claim was "misinterpreted," allegedly found that Clark and Thompson were "not very popular." Smith and Evans were said to have showed "more vitality."

The BBC denies ageism played a part in the decision, and rejects any suggestion that they are "unpopular."

A BBC spokewoman said: "We are glad viewers are enjoying South East Today. But programming cannot stay static, which is why we are changing the focus to make sure we have the right approach."