The Newsroom

BBC Breakfast - 16th July onwards

Split from BBC News (UK) presentation - Reith launch onwards (July 2019)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Sian was associated with Breakfast going right back, as I recall. The original line-up from October 2000 was Jeremy Bowen and Sophie Raworth, with Darren Jordon and Sarah Montague on Friday. However, I seem to remember there was some reason or other why Sarah Montague left rather rapidly and that's when Sian Williams came on board. Once that change happened, it was a great line-up for me. Jeremy was quite dry and witty, Sophie did seem to get along with him well. Plus you had Moira on news, Tanya Beckett on business - perfection!

The only person I don't think suited the programme too well was Darren Jordon. He was a bit too serious. Eventually he moved over to be Anna Ford's understudy on the One when George Alagiah made the move to BBC Four News in 2002. That was a better match for me.

What I can't remember now is whether Bill Turnbull came onboard at Breakfast when Darren moved to the One, or if he'd been associated with the programme a bit earlier than that? I do remember that in about 2000/2001 he had a regular gig with Valerie Sanderson on News 24 afternoons.

I started to lose interest in Breakfast a bit when Dermot and Natasha took over. I didn't really like either in all honesty. I did enjoy the main Bill and Sian era, though. Once Sian left, I started to lose interest again and I'm not a fan of the current Dan and Louise partnership, either. And definitely not Naga Munchetty. I can't bear it when Naga's on. I do like Charlie Stayt though. Then again, like people are saying, the programme is bigger than the presenters. Ultimately, if it's a big news day, I'll still tune in.
JW
JamesWorldNews
I think you’re right, Rob. I’m sure Bill moved permanently to Breakfast when Darren moved across to The One. Bill also subbed for Darren when he was off, IIRC. Just as Darren did for Jeremy, etc, etc......

Sarah moved to radio quite soon after the 2000 launch.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
You're right, James. Of course - Bill used to cover for Darren when he was away. I'd guess that started some time in about 2001.

Some other memories that have just come back:

- Initially Moira's understudy on the news bulletins was Asad Ahmed, now of BBC London I think? Asad was then replaced by Emma Howard who ISTR was a correspondent at the time.

- Remember when Michael Peschardt, a.k.a. "The Pesch", used to come over to the UK from his Australia posting for several weeks to front Breakfast? I presume it was so he could spend some time back at base in London for training etc?

- Also that time when Michael Buerk filled in on the Breakfast sofa after he'd left the Ten in 2003? It blew my mind watching Buerk at Breakfast!

This period was such a great era for BBC News. Don't get me started on BBC World at a time when you practically had to don your formal attire just to tune in!
Last edited by itsrobert on 14 February 2020 11:05am
JW
JamesWorldNews
Haha. Yes. We’re very formal at World!

Yes, Asad Ahmad was the Thursday and Friday presenter, followed by Emma Howard, followed by Kate Gerbau (sp?), who had been drafted-in from Newsround.

For the record, Moira initially did Monday to Thursday inclusive, with Asad on Fridays only. Moira then only did Monday to Wednesday eventually.

After a while, along came Breakfast Briefing, presented by Moira and Rob Bonnet from the newsdesk, from 0600 to 0630, before Dermot and Natasha took over at 0630.

This was preceded by Moira alone on the sofa from 0600 to 0630, still called Breakfast Briefing, then eventually she was paired with Rob after a few months over at the desk.

You recall the amazement at seeing Michael Buerk sat on the sofa. Seeing Moira was even more surreal.

All of this during the Dermot and Natasha era, if I recall correctly.
SW
Steve Williams
What I can't remember now is whether Bill Turnbull came onboard at Breakfast when Darren moved to the One, or if he'd been associated with the programme a bit earlier than that? I do remember that in about 2000/2001 he had a regular gig with Valerie Sanderson on News 24 afternoons.


Well, we can trace all this on Genome, and in fact I remember the first time I saw Billy billed on Breakfast, it was the day after the 2000 US election, because I had no idea who he was.
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/2000-11-07#at-6.00
I don't know if that was in his role as US Correspondent, which he was for a while in the nineties, although Genome suggests that at the time he was presenting quite regularly on 5 Live (alongside Louise Minchin quite frequently, funnily enough). The first time he's billed as presenting the show is in April 2001, and from then on he does it most weekends. I actually thought he was a straight replacement for Darren Jordon, but seemingly Jordon was still there until early 2002, including presenting on Christmas Day in 2000 and 2001.

Of course that wasn't Billy's first appearance on breakfast TV because he'd been a reporter for Breakfast Time in the eighties.

In the case of Sian Williams, I remember when she left they did a little montage including from her first programme with Darren Jordon. Looks like Sarah Montague lasted until the end of 2000 (I remember it being suggested in the papers she was being moved off it as she was considered too posh) and then Sian took over in January. Montague has one final appearance credited in February 2001 but I think that might be a mistake, as the week after she starts being billed on the Today programme.

Genome is quite good as tracing the Breakfast presenters, although of course Breakfast didn't appear on BBC1 (and hence get a billing in the Radio Times) on a Sunday until 9/11 - initially only temporary, before it stayed there full time - and Saturday Breakfast was billed as Weekend 24 for another few years.
SP
Steve in Pudsey
However, I seem to remember there was some reason or other why Sarah Montague left rather rapidly


The "four coffees" incident?
TI
TIGHazard
Probably pretty early to be talking about but I guess in July/August they'll be decamping to the sport set for Olympic Breakfast?
BR
Brekkie
Depends as they'll be live coverage during the morning, so either they'll run an Olympic block on BBC2 and Breakfast almost as normal on BBC1 or more likely air Olympic Breakfast on BBC1 with breaks for the news, which I'd imagine would air from Japan.
JF
JF World News
Depends as they'll be live coverage during the morning, so either they'll run an Olympic block on BBC2 and Breakfast almost as normal on BBC1 or more likely air Olympic Breakfast on BBC1 with breaks for the news, which I'd imagine would air from Japan.


I imagine BBC Two will take The Briefing at 5am, and BBC News at Nine. Olympics 1am-6am, 9am-1pm, 2pm-6pm on BBC One, BBC Four 1am-7pm. Games Today at 7pm on BBC Two
PE
peterh
Bbc four would obviously like done with bbc 3 in the past would need its stream lengthening but parliaments not active so that’s fairly easy. Does discovery’s new arrangement start this year and would that affect anything
BR
Brekkie
Yes, the BBC are restricted to two simultaneous live streams - basically BBC1/2 and the red button. That means at breakfast time if they do switch coverage to BBC2 then on BBC1 they could only simulcast live an event already on BBC2 or the red button.

Of course too the restriction can also be used to their advantage - switch the live coverage to BBC2 (likely from 6-8.30), whilst on BBC1 you focus on recapping the events from overnight, assuming the rights allow. That is possibly the best compromise - allows live action to continue without the interuption of local and national news and provides an outlet for recapping the overnight action too.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
What I can't remember now is whether Bill Turnbull came onboard at Breakfast when Darren moved to the One, or if he'd been associated with the programme a bit earlier than that? I do remember that in about 2000/2001 he had a regular gig with Valerie Sanderson on News 24 afternoons.


Well, we can trace all this on Genome, and in fact I remember the first time I saw Billy billed on Breakfast, it was the day after the 2000 US election, because I had no idea who he was.
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/2000-11-07#at-6.00
I don't know if that was in his role as US Correspondent, which he was for a while in the nineties, although Genome suggests that at the time he was presenting quite regularly on 5 Live (alongside Louise Minchin quite frequently, funnily enough). The first time he's billed as presenting the show is in April 2001, and from then on he does it most weekends. I actually thought he was a straight replacement for Darren Jordon, but seemingly Jordon was still there until early 2002, including presenting on Christmas Day in 2000 and 2001.

Of course that wasn't Billy's first appearance on breakfast TV because he'd been a reporter for Breakfast Time in the eighties.

In the case of Sian Williams, I remember when she left they did a little montage including from her first programme with Darren Jordon. Looks like Sarah Montague lasted until the end of 2000 (I remember it being suggested in the papers she was being moved off it as she was considered too posh) and then Sian took over in January. Montague has one final appearance credited in February 2001 but I think that might be a mistake, as the week after she starts being billed on the Today programme.

Genome is quite good as tracing the Breakfast presenters, although of course Breakfast didn't appear on BBC1 (and hence get a billing in the Radio Times) on a Sunday until 9/11 - initially only temporary, before it stayed there full time - and Saturday Breakfast was billed as Weekend 24 for another few years.


Very interesting discoveries, Steve. I do vaguely recall that edition of Breakfast with presenters in Washington. This is just a guess but I wonder if they sent Bill Turnbull for News 24 (around this time he was a regular afternoon presenter with Valerie Sanderson, as I mentioned earlier) and Philip Hayton for BBC World? Although Phil had a regular weekend shift on News 24, his main role was as the evening presenter on BBC World at that time. Eventually he moved over to News 24 permanently to take on the morning shift (once Ben Geoghegan departed, ISTR) which made a space for Mishal Husain to make her debut presenting the news (as opposed to World Business Report).

Another vague recollection which has been corroborated by Genome is that Nici Marx presented Breakfast a few times. First over Christmas 2000 and again on Bank Holiday Monday in August 2001.

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