breakfasts

BBC Breakfast presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay paid tribute to late boxer Ricky Hatton at the start of Monday’s show, after news of his death broke on Sunday

Monday’s episode of BBC Breakfast kicked off with a heartfelt tribute to late boxing legend Ricky Hatton, following news of his passing on Sunday.

Hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent delivered an emotional opening as they began Monday’s (15 September) edition of BBC Breakfast, describing the former professional fighter as “adored”.

“Good morning, it is Monday, 15 September and tributes are being paid to Ricky Hatton after his death at the age of 46,” Sally opened. “Nicknamed The Hitman, he won world titles in two weight divisions and was simply adored by many fans.”

Jon added: “Following his retirement from boxing, Hatton was open about the struggles he faced in life, including problems with his mental health and addictions to drugs and alcohol. Police said his death is not believed to be suspicious.”

Ricky was discovered dead at his residence in Hyde, Tameside, Greater Manchester, on the morning of 14 September. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed they are not treating his death as suspicious.

A spokesperson revealed: “Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6.45am today [September 14] where they found the body of a 46-year-old man. There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”

Monday’s BBC Breakfast showcased numerous tributes to Ricky, with coverage displaying messages from various sports journalists, alongside celebrity figures such as Wayne Rooney, reports the Express.

A touching tribute was shared by former footballer Wayne, a close friend of the late boxer, in which he said: “I think he’s someone who captured the nation really. In terms of the support he got, it followed him all around the world in boxing. It’s devastating.”

Meanwhile, boxing journalist Steve Bunce highlighted the significance of Ricky’s openness about his struggles and commended the late boxer for making an “immense difference”.

“He actually made an immense difference. The amount of people that stopped him, times I was with him in different locations, where people would just stop him and say how much he’d helped by just raising his head, raising it up really high,” Steve commented on BBC Breakfast.

“The first sportsman in British sport to do it and talk about his mental health issues, talk about the darkness he was in.”

The journalist, appearing via video link, continued: “And also, face absolutely front on, like Ricky did in the ring, his addiction problems. He didn’t hide from them, he didn’t sweep them under the carpet, he didn’t push them aside and say ‘Oh, it’s nothing’. He dealt with them front on, face on.”

BBC Breakfast is broadcast at 6am on BBC One every day.

BBC Breakfast star Naga Munchetty has seemingly never been one to follow the crowd and has since been hailed for going against the hosting grain

BBC Breakfast star Naga Munchetty has been praised by a body language expert for her unique approach to presenting, which completely flips the traditional “TV husband and wife” dynamic.

Judi James, an expert in body language, has shared her insights following reports of tension within the famous red sofa studio, offering her professional opinion on what might be happening behind the scenes. Recent reports suggest that Naga and her co-presenter Charlie Stayt are embroiled in a “toxic feud” with the show’s editor Richard Frediani. Since these allegations surfaced, their on-screen relationship has been under scrutiny, with many speculating if cracks will start to show.

However, after observing the two news anchors, Judi offered a different perspective on what might be happening off-camera. She stated: “Some of the most friendly and bonded-looking TV duos have actively disliked each other in real life. Most performers, comics and journalists tend to be loners by nature and sharing a screen can often be a challenge for the ego.”

She further commented: “Naga and Charlie have quite a natural-looking on-screen relationship in that it tends to show up moments of tension or disagreement rather than papering over the cracks with cuddly, forced smiles fake laughter,” reports Bristol Live.

Judi, a body language expert, noted that the usual male and female roles were not followed by the two hosts. She pointed out that Naga’s often “dry humour” could come as a “shock” to fans accustomed to the traditional “TV husband and wife” roles.

She suggested that viewers might have interpreted Naga and Charlie’s “non-verbal displays” as a warning sign of something else happening. However, Judi speculated that their unconventional dynamic might explain some of their seemingly awkward and silent moments on-air.

Judi remarked: “Their on-screen ‘chemistry’ can tend to look spiky at times and although they can have their playful moments, some of their non-verbal ‘banter’ can show signs of genuine irritation or frustration, with Naga often throwing eye-‘asides’ to either the camera and therefore the audience at home, or to others in the studio and off-camera.

“It’s often a form of dry humour, but to anyone preferring the kind of smiley, giggly, ‘My TV husband/wife’-style on-screen performances it can be a bit of a shock.”

She further emphasised: “One other aspect of these non-verbal displays is the one of status. For many years it was traditional for the male newsreader to be the dominant character on-screen, looking solemn, serious and, at times irascible or irritated. The female would often be expected to provide the smiles, empathy and the softness.”

Praising the Radio 5 Live presenter for her unique approach, Judi said: “Naga, though, thankfully, seems to have turned this outdated tradition on its head, presenting a more assertive display complete with moments of irritation or disapproval, while Charlie seems to appear to be softer and more likely to smile.”

BBC Breakfast airs every day on BBC One from 6am.