Twittering Christa fuels speculation over future

Ms Ackroyd, who has been off screen for more than 10 weeks without explanation, has updated her profile on the social media site to read: “Proud to have been a Yorkshire journalist for three decades more than twenty of them on tv. Also local and national newspapers and radio.”

The profile had previously said: “On Look North with my friend of a hundred years Harry Gration and have to suffer Paul Hudson too. Dont feel too sorry for me. Quite like him but don’t tell him.”

Ms Ackroyd, who is paid in excess of £150,000 a year by the BBC, said she was not in a position to comment.

The BBC similarly again declined to offer any explanation for the presenter’s absence but continues to say Ms Ackroyd, who is employed on a freelance basis, still works for the BBC.

She has received in excess of £30,000 since going off air and it is not known what work the presenter is doing.

On Saturday it was revealed that Shipley MP Philip Davies is writing to the BBC to press for a public explanation.

Mr Davies, a member of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee, said the public had a right to know why the presenter was not doing the job she is highly paid to do.

He said: “It’s our money the BBC are spraying around. It would be helpful if we knew exactly what the situation was and what was going on as soon as possible.”