Dan Walker: Who will replace BBC Breakfast presenter and where is he going?
Many famous faces are tipped to take over from the broadcaster including Jon Kay.
BBC Breakfast has said goodbye to chief presenter Dan Walker, with the broadcaster’s final episode airing this morning (17th May).
Walker, who has been on the Breakfast sofa since 2016, announced in April that he would be leaving BBC Breakfast after six years, with the journalist set to move to Channel 5.
Ahead of his final show today, Walker revealed on Twitter that he'd barely slept but was still looking forward to hosting alongside Sally Nugent for the final time.
Louise Minchin joined Walker for his last BBC Breakfast episode, sitting on the sofa alongside him and Nugent while he spoke about the “incredible memories” he had from his time on the show.
But who could take over from Walker? Read on for everything you need to know about Dan Walker's potential replacement.
Who will replace Dan Walker on BBC Breakfast?
The BBC has confirmed that its Breakfast show is still searching for Walker's replacement.
When asked about the show's plans to replace the journalist, a spokesperson for the BBC told RadioTimes.com: "Recruitment is still ongoing."
There has been much fan speculation over who will be taking over from Walker as chief presenter on BBC Breakfast following his departure today (17th May).
Various famous faces have been rumoured to be the broadcaster's replacement.
Jon Kay, a South West correspondent for BBC News who has stepped in for Walker before, has become bookies’ favourite.
Other names tipped to take over include AJ Odudu, Mike Bushell and Gethin Jones.
The job is still being advertised on the BBC careers website, with a closing date of 24th May.
Where is Dan Walker going?
Walker will be bringing audiences the news at 5pm every day as the lead anchor of Channel 5 News.
Talking about his decision to join Channel 5 back in April, Walker said he couldn’t turn down an opportunity that doesn’t “come around very often”.
He continued in the video shared on social media (below): “I’m really excited but this has also been a massive decision for me because I love BBC Breakfast, I love working alongside Sally and I love the team there.
“But Channel 5 came with big ambitions, with big plans and I don’t think opportunities like this come around very often and I can’t wait.
“I’ve also had the incredible privilege of working on some iconic programmes over the last few years, both at the BBC and elsewhere."
He went on to praise some of the "iconic programmes" he has been part of over the last few years, and said: “What I love about this deal is I not only get to present the news, but also host a whole range of new programmes right across the channel."
He continued: “And what an honour to step into the shoes of Sian Williams. I know how popular she is with both the team and also the audience, so all I can say is I will do my best to maintain her incredibly high standards.
“Thank you for watching and I’ll see you soon on a TV screen somewhere.”
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
