FORMER Scottish ­international rugby player John Beattie will host a BBC Scotland news programme after an MSP dropped out of the running.

Beattie will present Crossfire, a Radio Scotland political show which is broadcast on Sunday mornings.

Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale had been in talks to front the programme but her appointment had sparked claims that it would breach a ruling by the BBC's governing body about payments being made to politicians for hosting programmes.

She later withdrew from discussions about the programme and confirmed she would not to take part.

Andrew Wilson, a former Nationalist MSP, is expected to be a regular pundit on the show, which focuses on the independence referendum.