Dame Jenni Murray will present her final episode of Woman’s Hour on Thursday.
The broadcaster, 70, is the longest serving host in the BBC Radio 4 programme’s history.
She first appeared on the programme 33 years ago.
Emma Barnett will take over as the programme’s main presenter in January.
Other presenters will guest host in place of Dame Jenni until Barnett takes over the job on a permanent basis.
Dame Jenni became the regular presenter of Woman’s Hour in 1987 and was made a dame in 2011 in recognition of her contribution to broadcasting.
During her tenure, Dame Jenni has interviewed high-profile figures such as Bette Davis, Margaret Thatcher, Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams, Gloria Steinem, Monica Lewinsky and Hillary Clinton.
She has also interviewed Anna Politkovskaya, Kate McCann, Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison, Wangari Maathai, Benazir Bhutto, Dame Judi Dench, Saoirse Ronan and Joan Baez, who sang Diamonds And Rust in the studio especially for her.
Born in Barnsley, Dame Jenni joined BBC Radio Bristol in 1973 and went on to report and present for BBC TV’s South Today.
In 1983, she joined Newsnight before moving to Radio 4 as a presenter for the Today programme.
Jane Garvey, who also presents on Woman’s Hour, is also quitting the programme.
She will leave the show at the end of the year.