BBC Breakfast

Naga Munchetty earning her stripes this festive weekend. Strangely, I felt she was more watchable on her own... I think they used some of the time yesterday (Boxing Day) with filler like Meera Syal on Nick Higham's "Meet the Author".

I think Bill Turnbull also moved up to the North West when BBC Breakfast relocated, so he's not ideally placed to present national news bulletins.

That said I'm sure Bill said recently that he was planning to move to Suffolk along with his bees - which for some reason were unable to make the trip up north.

Yes, he said this in an interview when news of his departure from Breakfast broke a few months ago. Incidentally, when does he last appear on Breakfast? I know it's early 2016 - does that mean January? And what news on a replacement? (I know the latter is not likely to be earth-shattering news: Charlie Stayt to take Bill's place, Monday-Wednesday; Jon Kay or Roger Johnson, Thursday-Saturday)

I'm sure he said at the time "I'm not going until the end of January".

I don't see any reason why Bill's replacement should necessarily be male. There are plenty of women in the Breakfast Team who are worthy of a move up to one of the main presenter slots, and there is no guarantee that Charlie Stayt gets the Mon-Wed gig.

They'd be outrage if a female anchor was replaced by a male and though I agree there are womern in the Breakfast team who could step up, there are also men who actually have far more experience in the role to.

History suggests Charlie Stayt will move up to Monday to Wednesday, with Jon Kay being my bet for Thursday to Saturday.

Isn't Christian Fraser getting a permanent presenting job?

I agree. BBC Breakfast doesn't really rock the boat - which is probably part of its USP. Sian Williams leaves? Susanna Reid moves up. Susanna Reid leaves? Louise Minchin moves up. Bill Turnbull leaves? Charlie Stayt moves up; John Kay takes Stayt's Thursdays-Saturdays.

Kay is pretty much a fixture now anyway on those weeks when the Turnbull / Stayt rota is disrupted and at weekends. He looks very comfortable in the role.

Although I remember reading a while back & understood it to be the same now, that Charlie is Freelance. So he may only want to work those days rather than a promotion.

Also would Jon Kay want to give up his reporting role as the West of England correspondent for a full time presenting role. It will depend which he prefers.

Why - is he an idiot?


Almost as dumb as that nonsense a few weeks back when someone questioned whether Bill had to bother turning up because he was supposedly freelance to.


We are not privy to their contract details but whether employed directly by the BBC or contracted by the BBC to provide their services it is quite irrelevant and a change in circumstances simply leads to the necessary changes in contract, and unless it really isn't convenient for your personal circumstances a "promotion" which basically sees you do the same job on different days for possibly a greater financial reward isn't going to be turned down.

Bit unfair. He may not want to move to Salford, he may prefer not working in an office continually and he may just like his current role. It's perfectly reasonable to suggest he may not want the job.