Louise Minchin to Leave Breakfast

[Brekkie]

So are Breakfast going to do the annoying thing of not having a replacement ready to go and probably go for "guest" hosts in the short term. It seems to be increasingly common in TV rather than having a replacement ready to go as seemed to be the case in the past - indeed I'm sure it used to be quite common to have the replacement named when somebody announced they were leaving a show.

I find it a bit weird to refer to Breakfast as having "guest hosts" - it's a news programme, and it's presented by news presenters. If there isn't a permanent replacement for Louise lined up yet, they will presumably use other people from the Breakfast team for now, many of whom regularly present the programme already anyway. It's not like Have I Got News For You.

Yes, guest hosts isn't the right term in this case but you know what I mean and of the likely hosts for the next few weeks I'd say only Sally Nugent is really a familar face to the weekday BBC1 audience - and if she (or someone else chosen) is good enough to host in the short term surely she's good enough to be given the job full time.

I do think it is important that shows and networks show confidence in their hosts and when you get periods without a regular host in place it does suggest a bit of uncertainty from producers over the direction they want to take the show. Of course though with Breakfast you might counter it that they have such confidence in the show it doesn't really matter who hosts it.

[Newsroom]

George maybe - would be surprised if she got the Ten.


So are Breakfast going to do the annoying thing of not having a replacement ready to go and probably go for "guest" hosts in the short term. It seems to be increasingly common in TV rather than having a replacement ready to go as seemed to be the case in the past - indeed I'm sure it used to be quite common to have the replacement named when somebody announced they were leaving a show.

There will be no "guest host" and why should there be? Sally Nugent is in effect "the next cab off the rank" and down the line in years to come it will be Nina Warhurst (if she's still on the programme).

Geography is a big issue at play here; there are a number of names mentioned on this thread (and elsewhere) as possible contenders to replace Louise Minchin, but if they are in an established London-based role, plus throwing their domestic situation in the mix, then it's highly unlikely they will take up a role based in Salford.

Not to mention taking up a role that involves getting up at 3am in the morning

Ben Thompson is based in London and they don’t seem to have a problem with budget for his commuting costs. It’s not cheap getting a train to and from Manchester plus hotel.

Susanna Reid used to commute daily when she got the gig, getting the last train up, and straight back to London right after the show. I can’t remember which programme she featured on, but it was an interesting insight to learn how she managed it with keeping her family life in order and without exhausting herself.

[m_in_m]

Ben Thompson is based in London and they don’t seem to have a problem with budget for his commuting costs. It’s not cheap getting a train to and from Manchester plus hotel.

Susanna Reid used to commute daily when she got the gig, getting the last train up, and straight back to London right after the show. I can’t remember which programme she featured on, but it was an interesting insight to learn how she managed it with keeping her family life in order and without exhausting herself.

You presume the BBC meets the cost. I could see they might for Sunday's and when people are providing cover e.g. Jon Kay but I'm not necessarily sure they would if it is your regular role.

I believe when the programme moved there was either a relocation allowance or help towards commuting for a limited period (couple of years). I don't imagine they'd be offering that to those appointed now.

[Newsroom]

Ben Thompson is based in London and they don’t seem to have a problem with budget for his commuting costs. It’s not cheap getting a train to and from Manchester plus hotel.

Susanna Reid used to commute daily when she got the gig, getting the last train up, and straight back to London right after the show. I can’t remember which programme she featured on, but it was an interesting insight to learn how she managed it with keeping her family life in order and without exhausting herself.

You presume the BBC meets the cost. I could see they might for Sunday's and when people are providing cover e.g. Jon Kay but I'm not necessarily sure they would if it is your regular role.

I believe when the programme moved there was either a relocation allowance or help towards commuting for a limited period (couple of years). I don't imagine they'd be offering that to those appointed now.

I don't presume anything, it's fact.

It was well documented that the BBC covered up to £1900 per month and standard class rail tickets and hotel costs for any relocation of programmes. Sure, that was back then and things may have changed with all the cuts. I'm sure you could find out the current policy if you looked hard enough.

Check out the interview Reid gave at the time she got the gig in Salford.

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/lon...28348.html

[all new Phil]

Ben Thompson is based in London and they don’t seem to have a problem with budget for his commuting costs. It’s not cheap getting a train to and from Manchester plus hotel.

Susanna Reid used to commute daily when she got the gig, getting the last train up, and straight back to London right after the show. I can’t remember which programme she featured on, but it was an interesting insight to learn how she managed it with keeping her family life in order and without exhausting herself.

You presume the BBC meets the cost. I could see they might for Sunday's and when people are providing cover e.g. Jon Kay but I'm not necessarily sure they would if it is your regular role.

I believe when the programme moved there was either a relocation allowance or help towards commuting for a limited period (couple of years). I don't imagine they'd be offering that to those appointed now.

If the right person wants travel costs paid, then the right person will get travel costs paid.

[House]

Just a reminder that they haven't announced a new presenter for BBC Breakfast because the job is still being advertised, and applications don't close until the 12th September. https://careerssearch.bbc.co.uk/jobs/job...fast/54576

That they're publicly advertising the position says to me they're hoping to get some external, as well as internal, interest in the role, and it certainly suggests they don't have anyone 'lined up' for it. I also wouldn't assume whoever gets the job has to be a familiar or obvious face to BBC Breakfast – Natasha Kaplinsky, Dermot Murnaghan, Charlie Stayt (when he was a relief presenter), Dan Walker and others joined the programme from outside the regular BBC Breakfast/ BBC News presenting pool, or from outside the BBC entirely.

That equally means no-one has been ruled out yet. For example, Rachel Burden (hypothetically) applying for that job almost certainly wouldn't change the way the Press or Social Media teams announced Rick Edwards' appointment to 5Live Breakfast – she is that programme's current co-presenter, and will be when Rick Edwards joins. Stop trying to read the tea leaves, and let the recruitment process do its thing.

(Also a little disappointed in the Rick Edwards' appointment. Nothing against the guy personally, and he'll likely help the channel reach a slightly younger audience. He's certainly more qualified than comedian Patric Kielty, who's been filling in with increasing frequency. But I'd been hoping they might pinch Krishnan Guru-Murthy from Channel 4, who's appeared a number of times now, or someone left of field with a bit more journalistic gravitas. Oh well, I guess he'll grow into the role. Hopefully they'll add someone with more of a news background for 5 Live Drive...)

[BBI45]

Sorry to somewhat deviate from the main discussion somewhat, but given that Rick Edwards' appointment as 5 Live Breakfast host has been mentioned here, this is probably the best place to ask. I'm just wondering what do people actually think of him?

I used to listen to 5 Live Breakfast quite often, up until LBC News went national and perfectly slotted into my 20 minute walk to work. But I'm now looking at the prospect of a longer commute, and I reckon my ears might be ready for a change.

[Brekkie]

I think he is generally a perfectly capable broadcaster, although Tool Academy of course remains his finest work.

[FrancisC]

Not sure if we had known for definite before whether Louise could be remaining part of the BBC?

However, The Mirror has an 'exclusive' interview with her tomorrow, and their front page mentions her 'leaving the Beeb':

https://twitter.com/MsHelicat/status/143...15360?s=20

[JamesWorldNews]

Today’s the day.

https://twitter.com/bbcfrediani/status/1...17860?s=21

[Stuart]

I guess her former boss will always remember her whenever he puts on that same jacket with a lifesize facsimile of her head stitched on to its right shoulder. Odd way to remember a colleague. :?

[Markymark]

If she really is leaving the Beeb, I could imagine her returning to radio perhaps. Maybe Times Radio? They already have Manchester based Phil Williams who presents their evening show, Louise would be a good stand in or co presenter there?

[Rob]

A protestor has just disrupted Nina Warhurst's live report. Swiftly cut back to Dan and Louise in the studio.

[Rob]

Video of the incident:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eASbcPe6S3o

[Rolling News]

It would be interesting to see when Dan & Louise were on screen together for the first time when Louise handed over to Dan for the sport on News 24.