He will have a tough act to follow in Gerry Peckham, who is retiring after 33 years of world and Olympic success with Curling Canada.

The 44-yea-old Murdoch will be moving to Canada with his wife and three children upon completing his duties as the national and Olympic coach for British Curling, a role he’s held since September 2018.

"It truly is a privilege and an honour to have this opportunity, and it’s not one I will take for granted," said Murdoch.

"Canadian curling has been the benchmark for excellence around the world and I’m looking forward to being a part of this amazing team of athletes and coaches, and being a part of the Canadian curling community.

"There’s work to be done, but I feel that there are opportunities for growth and accountability and I believe the pieces are in place for Canada to excel on the world stage and continue to meet the expectations of Canadian curling fans.

"I’m so appreciative of the time I’ve spent with British Curling and the support they've given me to develop as a coach.

"I feel the organisation will continue to thrive because of the commitment of people who work there as well as the dedication of the athletes."

As the high performance director, Peckham set a world-leading record for the production of international medals for Canada.

Under his guidance the men won 26 world medals, including 15 golds, and the women 28 medals, including 11 golds.

Additionally, 54 medals were won by men and women at under-21 level, including 26 golds, as well as six Wheelchair Curling medals, of which three were gold.

He has overseen the Olympic and Paralympic programme that has produced 12 Olympic medals and five Paralympic medals, with podium finishes in every quadrennial since he joined the cause.

"Gerry’s contributions to our sport and our organisation will continue to be a roadmap for us to follow," said Katherine Henderson, Curling Canada’s chief executive.

"Gerry has assured me that he is there to support this exciting transition and David has a wise and experienced supporter."

Murdoch, a World Championships winner in 2006 and 2009 and Olympic silver medallist at Sochi 2014, added: "Those are big shoes to fill, but I will be eager to pick Gerry’s brain as I grow into this position.

"He has built a world-class high-performance staff of coaches and subject-matter experts and I look forward to working with them."

Murdoch’s wife, Stephanie, is from Vancouver Island; the two met when Murdoch was in British Columbia training for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

"Having the opportunity to live in Canada was important to us as a family," said Murdoch.

"Our kids are half-Canadian and they love that part of their lives.

"And I have so much fondness and affection for Canada; I’ve been travelling there for one reason or another every year since 1995 and it feels like a part of me."