Veteran BBC interrogator Jeremy Paxman is to cross the broadcasting floor to host Channel 4′s Alternative Election Night on May 7.

Jeremy stepped down as the presenter of long-running BBC series Newsnight last year after two-and-a-half decades in the presenter’s chair.

He co-hosted the Cameron and Miliband Live debate, broadcast simultaneously on Channel 4 and Sky News last month, and will return to the former to front its mixture of comedy, entertainment and comment on May 7.

David Mitchell and Jeremy Paxman
David Mitchell and Jeremy Paxman will host Alternative Election Night (Channel 4)

He will be joined by comedian and co-host David Mitchell, as well as a string of guests from the worlds of politics, comedy and entertainment.

They include Channel 4 News’ Cathy Newman and Gary Gibbon, as well as comedian Kayvan Novak, presenter Adam Hills and Pointless host Richard Osman.

The show will also include special election-themed episodes of Gogglebox and The Last Leg.

Ed Miliband and Jeremy Paxman
Ed Miliband and Jeremy Paxman at Cameron And Miliband Live: The Battle For Number 10 (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Jeremy said: “Elections matter. But that doesn’t mean the coverage has to be dull. I hope there’ll be room for both insight and laughter.”

David added: “Our aim is to keep people watching much later than they intended and we will be judged by the dip in the nation’s productivity on Friday May 8.”