Natasha Kaplinsky has reportedly signed a lucrative contract with ITV.

The former BBC newsreader is currently fronting ‘Born To Shine’ each Sunday night for the channel and it has today been claimed that she will also present ITV’s ‘London Tonight’ when current star Nina Hossain takes her maternity leave. She will also take on a number of other projects from the channel.

Natasha has always been a popular host, and in 2003 became the highest-paid newsreader in the UK when she was offered £1 million to jump ship from the BBC for a move to Channel 5.

She said: “I am very much enjoying being part of ITV’s line-up, and thrilled to be returning to my first love, news. This is an exciting chance to work with the talented team in the ITV newsroom.”

Natasha will start her new job next month and stay in the role until Nina returns to her position as anchor in early 2012.

Faye Nickolds, editor of ‘ITV London Tonight’, added: “Natasha has an impressive background presenting national and regional news programmes – including a short spell on ‘ITV London Tonight’.

“We’re very much looking forward to her joining the team until Nina’s return early next year.”