Radio 4's flagship news programme Today appoints second female presenter in its history and first from ethnic minority background Mishal Husain, 40, will join the BBC's morning news programme in autumn Mother-of-three from north London was born in the UK to Pakistani parents Educated at Cambridge University, she was one of key BBC Olympics team Husain will join presenters Sarah Montague, John Humphrys, Jim Naughtie, Evan Davis and Justin Webb Newsreader Mishal Husain is to become a presenter on Radio 4's Today programme, the BBC announced today. The 40-year-old mother-of-three who currently fronts BBC1's Weekend News and a daily news programme on BBC World News, has presented on BBC Breakfast, BBC News at Six, and BBC News at Ten. She is the second female presenter on the flagship news programme and the first from an ethnic minority background, joining Sarah Montague, as well as John Humphrys, Jim Naughtie, Evan Davis and Justin Webb. Mishal Husain will become the first ethnic minority presenter of the BBC's Today programme this autumn BBC director-general Tony Hall said: 'It is such great news that Mishal will be joining the Today programme. She is a first rate journalist who will be an excellent addition to what is already a very strong team. I am also particularly pleased that her appointment means there will be another female voice on the programme, which I believe is extremely important. Husain, who was one of the key faces of the BBC1 team presenting from the London Olympics last year, said: 'I have long been an admirer of Today and am delighted to have the opportunity to join the team. The programme has unparalleled influence across BBC News and on our national conversation and I am looking forward to being part of it. She reported from Pakistan after the death of Osama Bin Laden and the assassination of Benazir Bhutto The former Washington correspondent has history with her future co-presenter, Mr Humphrys. The pair fell out in 2009 when he asked her whether she was only doing her job "because you are good looking." Mishal Husain, 40, was one of the key BBC presenters during last year's London Olympics She will join presenter Sarah Montague, pictured here with co-host John Humphrys, on the flagship show Husain was reportedly "humiliated" by the question, which he asked during a recording of Celebrity Mastermind. Three years ago she was angered when shopping with her family, she was told by a shopkeeper that her boys should behave like "proper English children." Born in Northampton but of Punjabi origin, Husain is a Muslim who was educated at Cobham Hall boarding school in Kent and Cambridge University. Married to Meekal Hashimi, a lawyer, Husain has three sons and lives in north London. The BBC said that, as well as continuing to regularly present Today, Naughtie will take on a role in the BBC's coverage of the independence referendum. It will include hosting Good Morning Scotland for two days a week and taking on a chief reporter role across the leading Radio 4 news programmes. The Scottish broadcaster will be back presenting on the Today programme full-time before the general election in 2015. He said: 'I am thrilled at this enhancement of my role on Today. Constitutional debate and decision next year has great historic importance for Scotland and the whole of the UK, so I am excited to be in the thick of it, on both sides of the border, from start to finish.