Good Morning Britain in 2020

Radio ratings for Q1 out today and some significant falls at breakfast time which may suggest some listeners are turning to TV, though certainly not all. Looks like the main national radio breakfast shows are down about 1.5-2m between them, and whilst a few smaller shows gain it's nothing like the difference. Indeed with all the changes in the radio breakfast show market over the last couple of years perhaps GMB should be benefitting far more than it is.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/05/rajar-q1-2020-london-and-national-brands-roundup/

Is this not just the same as happens every summer on a bigger scale? Lots of people who would normally listen to breakfast radio don't need to get up early so don't.

These figures are January to March though, so largely before Coronavirus had a huge impact on most of our lives.

Yeah, only the last 9 days of that period are during the lockdown.

His appearance with Lorraine this morning reminds us of what a smashing fellow John Stapleton is. His calm and cool authority wouldn’t be misplaced on GMB on the odd morning.

A thoroughly good presenter.

Did John Stapleton get an on air send off when he left? He was part of breakfast telly for many years so would’ve expected something, unless he didn’t want the fanfare ?

No, he was on the show one day, didn't appear for a while, and then confirmed via Twitter later that he no longer worked on the show. No mention whatsoever on the programme. Perhaps that's how he wanted it, but it seems a shame if not.

He seemed a somewhat odd fit to the show and suspect being Ben's understoody was more about fulfilling a contractual agreement. Was he used much as a relief presenter on Daybreak?

Brekkie, he was used about as often as any other stand-in is used, e.g. as often as Kate presents for Susanna on one of her normal days on GMB now.
He presented at all stages of Daybreak. See below a handful of blurry photos I found online of him on different iterations of Daybreak.

2010-2011: Adrian/Christine era


2011-2012: Kate/Dan era


2012-2014: Lorraine/Aled era

Dan's changed.

That big wall clock behind him came from a supplier of garden ornaments. There was a spare but if you came in at 5am and found it faulty there wouldn’t have been enough time to change it.

Well, given his background on Watchdog - he'd be the go to person for faulty goods replacements.