Anne Diamond has quit her job as presenter of BBC Oxford's breakfast show just 18 months after she was controversially brought in to raise the profile of the station.

Anne Diamond has had a tumultuous year

The former golden girl of early morning television announced she would quit at the end of the week, live on air yesterday morning.

She told listeners she wanted to pursue television work in London and added in a statement that she also had writing options which she wanted to develop.

The news comes the day after she walked out of ITV's Celebrity Fit Club, after fellow contestants gave her the cold shoulder because she secretly had an operation to reduce the size of her stomach.

Ms Diamond said: "I have loved my time with BBC Radio Oxford and my team, which has become a second family to me. I hope my schedule allows me to return from time to time and I want to take this opportunity to thank all my listeners for their unstinting support and good humour."

She was brought into Radio Oxford as part of executive editor Steve Taschini's effort to raise the station's profile.

However, her appointment proved unpopular with many listeners, who felt that she was out of touch with local issues. Derek Honey, of Witney, said yesterday: "She is the worst presenter they have ever had. I'm very pleased she is going, because when she interviewed a person she would interrupt every three seconds.

"Half the time she did not know where certain places were."

Following her appointment the Oxford Mail received many letters complaining about her style.

David Lambourne of Wroslyn Road, Freeland, wrote in a letter: "Anne Diamond, as others say, loves the sound of her own voice."

Tom Reeves, of Apley Way, Witney added: "My wife and I have been regular listeners for many years to the old-style Radio Oxford, but no more. We have decamped to Radio Two."

Mr Taschini declined to respond to the comments yesterday, but in a statement he insisted that Ms Diamond had been "successful in bringing a more youthful style". He added: "Her experience as a national broadcaster has added a special dimension to our local programmes, but the lure of national television and other projects has proved too tempting."

Ms Diamond will be replaced from Monday by former Radio 1 and Five Live presenter Sybil Ruscoe, who has been filling in when Anne was away.

Ms Ruscoe, 45, said: "Mainly, I want the new show to be informative, but I want it to be fun."