A broadcaster has confirmed during BBC Breakfast that a schedule shake-up is happening soon on the long-running programme
Joe Crutchley Screen Time Reporter
09:02, 28 Mar 2026
A TV legend has confirmed a show break on BBC Breakfast in major shake-up(Image: BBC)
A major schedule shake-up has been announced on BBC Breakfast and fans will not be best pleased about it.
The long-running morning show returned to TV screens on Saturday (March 28) for another instalment. Naga Munchetty and Ben Thompsonwere back at the helm, to discuss some of the biggest stories hitting the headlines from around the globe.
During the broadcast, Ben and Naga passed over like normal, to Newswatch host Samira Ahmed, who delved into viewers’ thoughts on recent BBC News coverage.
BBC Newswatch is a weekly show offering viewers and listeners the opportunity to respond to BBC News.
The segment sees Samira presenting viewer feedback on the BBC’s reporting of major stories, with audiences either praising or critiquing the coverage. The programme airs on Saturday mornings at 7:45am on BBC One during BBC Breakfast, or can be watched online.
However, at the end of the latest segment, Samira announced that Newswatch would be off air for several weeks, but reassured viewers that it would return to screens.
“We are off air next weekend over Easter but we will be back to hear more of your thoughts about how the BBC covers the news, in a fortnight,” Samira told viewers.
This is not the first time Newswatch has taken a break from screens. Last year in September, Samira announced the show would be off air for several weeks.
And viewers at the time were not too happy and voiced their opinions on X, regarding the hiatus, with some expressing dissatisfaction with the content of the programme. One viewer commented: “Well, that was a waste of 10 minutes,” while another said: “Disappointing….and last one too.”
A third remarked: “Not this again,” and yet another echoed the sentiment, stating: “Newswatch spending way too long on one little whinge.”
Journalist and broadcaster Samira has 20 years’ experience in print and broadcast and has hosted Newswatch since 2012. In 2020, Samira was named British Broadcasting Press Guild audio presenter of the year.
She has presented many news and arts programmes over the years for BBC TV and radio, including The World Tonight, PM, Sunday Morning Live on BBC One, Night Waves on Radio 3 and The Proms on BBC Four.
BBC Breakfast airs Monday to Friday at 6am on BBC One.
Ben Keaton, who is best known for playing Father Austin Purcell in the iconic Channel 4 sitcom, has died at the age of 70 – tributes have poured in for the ‘wonderful actor’
Patrick McDonnell, Paddy Ward and Ben Keaton (centre) at Comic Con in Belfast
Father Ted actor Ben Keaton has passed away aged 70. Keaton, who portrayed Father Austin Purcell in the beloved comedy series, alongside appearances in Casualty and Doctors, died at Lincoln County Hospital on Friday, it has been announced.
His death notice reads: “Ben will be forever greatly missed, loved and fondly remembered by his ex-wife Polly, son Waldo and daughter Daisy, brothers Des and Thom, sister Jeanette.”
In tribute, the Nottingham Playhouse said: “We are so sorry to hear of the death of Ben Keaton, a wonderful actor who is fondly remembered in our 2008 production of Vertigo. Sending our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.”
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Meanwhile, a Father Ted fan X account shared: “Saddened to hear of the passing of actor Ben Keaton. We knew him as Father Austin Purcell (one of my favourite one-off characters). He was a regular at ComicCon events, so I imagine many got to meet him over the years. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and many fans.”, reports the Daily Star.
Outside his television work, the Irishman was a distinguished stage performer. He dedicated much of his professional life to The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, appearing in an eclectic array of productions from American Buffalo to Hay Fever.
A versatile artist, he co-established the improv group South Of The River and served in a senior position at the Creative Academy. His awards collection showcased his range, including the 1986 Perrier Comedy Award and two Best Actor accolades from the Manchester Evening News, culminating in a nomination for the esteemed Laurence Olivier Awards.
Honouring him in a message on X (formerly Twitter), one admirer wrote: “RIP Ben Keaton. A great actor and comedian – there can be little praise higher (if at all) in that he stole the scene every time he appeared in Father Ted. Off to the great parochial house in the sky.”
In 2022, Keaton witnessed an unexpected surge in digital popularity after being surrounded by fans seeking autographs at the CovCon event in Coventry. The frenzy intensified when he joined forces with fellow Father Ted cast members Joe Rooney (Father Damo), Michael Redmond (Father Stone), and Patrick McDonnell (Eoin McLove) to film an impromptu TikTok video.
Looking back on the viral sensation, Keaton told The Irish Sun: “The video went from 500 views to 50,000 and up and up. Joe now says we are up at half a million views on TikTok. It’s incredible.” He confessed he was frequently astonished by the lasting impact of his fleeting, scene-stealing turn as the world’s most tedious priest.
Drawing comparisons to his other roles, Keaton remarked: “I appeared in Casualty for three years, nobody cares. I did three minutes on Father Ted and it’s all people want to talk about and something which just sails through time.”
Michael Conlan began his professional boxing career with great fanfare and an ambition to become a multi-weight champion, but despite going close, he was unable to replicate his success as an amateur.
The 34-year-old called time on his career following Friday’s defeat to Kevin Walsh in Belfast when his last roll of the dice to get back into title contention unravelled.
A polarising figure, Conlan could sell out arenas and outdoor venues to the tune of 12,000, while eliciting the ire of others in his home town.
What could not be disputed was he talent inside the ring, with his silky switch-hitting skills bringing his from the streets of west Belfast to the top of the amateur game and within a whisker as a pro.
“I didn’t think I lost tonight but it was too close for my liking and no matter how I would lose, no matter if it’s a robbery, I said that would be my time,” Conlan told reporters in his dressing room after his defeat to Walsh.
“It’s all very raw at the minute and how I’m answering questions is all emotion.
“How light I feel at the minute is probably relief. I’ve had so much pressure on my, so many expectations, even my own.
“I’ve not achieved what I wanted to but I said when I came back into it [in 2025] it would be if I achieve it, then great but if I don’t then so be it. This is the so be it situation and now I can spend time with my family.”
Having followed his brothers into the boxing gym as a seven year old, Conlan would blossom into one of, if not the best Irish male amateurs.
Collecting Antrim, Ulster and Irish titles as a junior, his first major international senior competition came at 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where, as a 17-year-old, he came unstuck against Australia’s Jason Moloney.
It was just the beginning as the following year, he won the first of five Irish Elite titles which earned him a place on the team for the World Championships in Baku, reaching the quarter-finals which earned a place at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
There, he made the big breakthrough, reaching the semi-finals where he lost to Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez but returned with a bronze medal to great acclaim.
ALFIE Boe – one of the nation’s favourite tenors – will be unleashing his inner rock god on new album Face Myself.
The record, out on April 10, is inspired by his love of the Madchester era and was produced by Myriot, who previously worked with Primal Scream.
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Alfie Boe is about to unleash his inner rock god on new album Face MyselfCredit: GettyAlfie Boe revealed his new album’s title track pays tribute to late Stone Roses bassist Gary ‘Mani’ MounfieldCredit: Getty
The classical singer said he spent his weekends travelling up to Manchester as a teenager to immerse himself in the music scene, where the Stone Roses launched hits such as I Wanna Be Adored. Alfie said: “At the time I was writing that song, Mani passed away.
“So I had to put a tribute in the song. I changed the lyrics to say, ‘For good old Mani, he played it right’.”
The high-energy track, which is released today, also name checks Liam and Noel Gallagher’s childhood home on Cranwell Drive and celebrates the Madchester spirit.
On the track he sings: “Dreams are grown in Burnage sky, a golden past that made us cry.
“The prom is glorified with lights, for good old Mani, he played it right. Those Cranwell boys, they sang along.”
As a teen, Alfie, who has clocked up 12 Top Ten albums including four No1s, joined an indie band and later found himself exploring classical music.
“I was in an indie band called The English Roses,” Alfie said with a laugh. We were going to go on tour and I was going to be the drummer. But there was school to attend, which was fine, but then I joined lots of other little bands.”
Alfie’s new album is made up of mostly original material and he was inspired to start writing by his pal, The Who’s Pete Townshend.
And the Les Miserables stage fave says the record is all about facing his past, adding: “I thought, what is it about me I have to face?
“It was my childhood, my teenage years, and what got me to where I am today. It’s been a wonderful journey.”
Dua’s full of beans
Dua Lipa has landed a Nespresso ambassador dealDua also had a snap with George Clooney, long-time face of the brand
Dua Lipa has a hefty cheque coming her way, plus a lifetime’s supply of coffee I imagine.
She’s signed up to be global ambassador for Nespresso and posed in blue co-ords to promote the new tie-in. Dua also had a snap with George Clooney, long-time face of the brand.
Greg heading to £2m…but pleads for Wills’ help again
Greg James got a royal boost on his 1,000km Comic Relief ride after Prince William hopped on his tandemCredit: Getty Images
As I caught up with Greg yesterday from the Yorkshire Moors, he said he wished William had stuck around.
Greg, resting up on a wall, below, said with a laugh: “I could’ve done with his legs today. Wills, if you’re reading this, help.”
He has remained incredibly upbeat despite the physical and mental toll the challenge is taking.
And he has been buoyed by the incredible donations from the public, which last night was creeping towards the £2million mark. Greg, who set off from Dorset last Friday and is pedalling all the way to Edinburgh, said: “The hills are very, very difficult today.
“But there was a really nice crowd of people shouting at me at the top.
“The good news is we’ve raised over £1.5million, which is an absurd amount. I’d be happy with that if it was the final total but we’ve got three days left.”
He starts his ride from Sunderlandthis morning with two full days to go.
Tomorrow he will begin his final push, cycling from Galashiels in the Borders to Edinburgh, where he is set to arrive in time for Comic Relief to start on BBC One at 7pm. You can do this, Greg!
Placebo are making a comeback for the 30th anniversary of their debut album, which they have reworked into a new version.
Placebo re:created will be out on June 19.
They will then kick off a European tour this September playing songs from their first two albums, with dates in Nottingham, Glasgow, Dublin, Manchester, London and Cardiff in November and December.
Big cat in Africa
Doja Cat shows her wild side in clashing animal prints during her Move Afrika performance in RwandaCredit: Getty
Doja Cat showed her wild side in clashing animal prints while on stage in Rwanda.
The Say So rapper, who wore a blue wig with a tiger-striped bodysuit, was performing at Global Citizen’s Move Afrika concert.
She sounded great, despite her carefree lifestyle.
In a new interview with Vogue yesterday, Doja admitted she’s had to curb bad habits for the sake of her live shows.
She said: “I love trash – I’m Oscar the Grouch. I love to eat garbage, and I love to drink, and I love to party.
Doja, who had a romance with actor Joseph Quinn in 2024, went on to reveal she is a serial dater, adding: “I’m 30, so I’m ovulating and horny.”
At least she tells it how it is.
Mosh-pit memories with trust
Yungblud is among the stars featured in Teenage Cancer Trust’s Good Energy mosh pit exhibition at the Royal Albert HallCredit: Getty
The Teenage Cancer Trust is staging a photo exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall to mark the joys of mosh pits.
Musicians including Yungblud, Wolf Alice, Fontaines DC and The Sex Pistols ft Frank Carter are featured in the show, called Good Energy.
It highlights “good energy”, which is the code used by fans to look after each other in the crowd. Frank said of his pic: “It was taken in the Royal Albert Hall.
“To play there with the Sex Pistols was a dream come true. Seeing a mosh pit inside such a venue felt like the definition of Good Punk Energy.
The exhibition runs until April 9. Buy signed copies of the prints at teenagecancer trust.org/good.
One direction’s Louis Tomlinson confessed the band’s debut No1 single, What Makes You Beautiful, was his least favourite track. He told Scott Mills’s Radio 2 show: “Performing it was always really eggy.”
Louis also took aim at the handling of 1D’s split, adding: “Hiatus, what a horrible word. It’s cringey, screams management.”
The Sun told last week that Harper had taken part in a photoshoot for beauty brand Hiku by Harper, which is expected to launch in the coming months. Now Princess is following suit.
She said on the Not My Bagg podcast: “I’ve been working on it for ages. I was in Liverpool three days ago.
“I went up for a photoshoot for my beauty brand, which is so good. It’s being released this year.
I’m so excited. I’ve always wanted to be involved in some sort of business. Make-up, I love, so it had to be that.”
This countryside spot is steeped in folklore about a monstrous Barghest that legends claim crushed victims – making for an atmospheric hiking spot
The hidden gorge is thought to house an evil being (Image: BerndBrueggemann via Getty Images)
Nestled within an abandoned mining region, hidden away in the Wharfedale valley of the Yorkshire Dales, lies a collapsed limestone ravine, brimming with historical tales, folklore and even a potentially terrifying resident.
Unless you’re aware of its existence, the enigmatic cavern is virtually invisible from view, concealed just off the roadside, making it a genuine secret treasure for ramblers.
Troller’s Gill is a legendary location beloved by keen walkers who venture to the region hoping to witness its splendour, as it packs considerable natural beauty into a compact trail.
The difficulty level for the path is fairly moderate, largely due to a handful of sections requiring scrambling, with a total distance of 2.6 km. It’s a trek that typically takes around one hour and can therefore be combined with any other walking or exploration activities you’ve planned during your stay in the Dales.
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Famous for its dramatic landscapes, historic cities, hearty food, and rich cultural heritage Yorkshire is just waiting to be explored. Sykes Cottages has a large number of properties to choose from with prices from £31 per night.
To access this captivating destination, you can leave your vehicle on New Road, where parking is free, before discovering this luminous green treasure.
Upon arrival, you’ll understand why it’s such a frequently discussed location and observe its rocky brook, which seems to emerge from nowhere.
Approximately a 15-minute stroll from where you’ve parked, you’ll spot a disused mine, the former operations of Gill Heads Mine, which has remained dormant since the early 1980s.
The entrance features a substantial gate with rockfall partially obstructing it, and visitors are strongly advised against entering the mine itself due to potential hazards, including potholes and collapse risks.
Legends and myths
Since its existence began, Trollers Gill has been cloaked in mystery but there’s one talethat particularly stands out from the rest. The location is thought to have been haunted by a Barghest, a massive hound with large luminous eyes.
According to ancient folklore, encountering the creature was far from fortunate but rather a harbinger of death, as those who crossed paths with the fearsome beast were frequently crushed to death or ripped apart, tales suggest.
One legend recounts the story of a man, John Lambert of Skirethorns, who bragged in a local pub about what he’d do to the enormous hound, which involved ‘giving it a good thrashing’ if he were to ever come across it. However, legend has it, he encountered the dog on his journey home, and it fatally crushed him.
John Henry Dixon from Grassington may have been the first individual to document such tales when he contributed a poem to a book published in 1827, William Hone’s Table Book.
In the ballad he describes a courageous man who ventures out to visit the Gill hoping to summon the mighty Barghest.
As he entered the gorge, he sensed the spirit of the stream warning him to turn back, but he disregarded it. He drew a protective magic circle around himself “with charms unblest”.
In his brief tale, the stream swelled and thundered, accompanied by a powerful wind, sweeping down the valley. He glimpsed the enormous shadow of the growling dog, its eyes illuminating the gorge walls.
The ferocious creature launched itself at the man and seized him as its next victim, dragging him to the valley floor, where his remains were subsequently discovered.
Various mythical creatures and supernatural entities have been reported inhabiting the ravine, which quite literally takes its name from trolls. It’s believed that Trollers’ Gill originates from ‘Troll’s Valley’, drawing from the Scandinavian tongue of those who made this area their home.
Their traditions and legends indicate that the term ‘troll’ encompasses any supernatural creatures, ranging from hulking giants to goblins, and naturally ‘trolls dwelling beneath the bridge’.
Meanwhile, the term ‘trolldom’ was understood to signify witchcraft and therefore implies the name stems from the notion of the valley being cursed, enchanted or inhabited by otherworldly beings.
Joe McDonald, lead singer and songwriter of Country Joe and the Fish — the band known for its resounding anti-war chant at Woodstock — has died. He was 84.
His wife, Kathy McDonald, announced his death Sunday morning. He died Saturday in his Berkeley home due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.
As a formative member of the American counterculture in the 1960s and ‘70s, McDonald leaves a legacy of bridging contemporary political satire and brazen anti-war sentiments with the early sounds of acid rock.
“We’re just so proud of him. He’s our hero. He instilled in us that we have to speak up when we can, on whatever platform we can, about issues that we feel are important,” said his daughter Seven McDonald, a film producer, music manager and writer.
“While he was a very serious, earnest activist, he also had such an acute sense of cynical humor that is so fantastic and was capable of scathing satire,” her brother Devin added. “He’s most famous for that, but he also did so many heartfelt benefits for different causes.”
The siblings, who spent their childhoods on the road and in recording studios with him, joke that he was always doing a benefit show.
The musician was born on Jan. 1, 1942, in Washington to Worden McDonald and activist Florence (Plotnik) McDonald, who were both members of the Communist Party. The family soon moved to the Southern California city of El Monte, where Joe McDonald was raised.
His musical roots reach back to when his father taught him to play the guitar at 7 years old. But before embarking on his career in music, McDonald enlisted in the Navy at age 17. He served as an air traffic controller at the Atsugi, Japan, air facility for three years. Upon coming back to the states, he tried out college for a short time before dropping out and moving to Berkeley.
Before experimenting with an early variation of Country Joe and the Fish alongside guitarist Barry Melton in the mid-1960s, McDonald started a small magazine called Rag Baby. Once the group was solidified, they decided to turn their folksy roots electric and made the move to San Francisco — just before the city’s legendary Summer of Love.
The group, born out of the Bay Area psychedelic rock scene, was soon signed by Vanguard Records and in 1967 released its debut album “Electric Music for the Mind and Body.” At the time the band’s label and producer were hesitant to let the musicians fully express their politics, and excluded the soon-to-be-hit anti-war anthem “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag” with the catchy chorus that began, “And it’s 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for?”
Instead, they went with tracks like “Superbird,” a spoof of President Lyndon B. Johnson, which received little to no backlash. When the second album came around, the band was allowed to run with “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag” as the title track. Trouble started to arise with the anti-Vietnam war anthem when the group changed the beginning chant of F-I-S-H to a more profane four letter word that starts with an “F.”
They performed this altered cheer at a gig in Massachusetts, where McDonald received a charge for inciting an audience to lewd behavior and a $500 fine. With this police run-in, Country Joe and the Fish received a slew of press, riling up the public ahead of their Woodstock performance.
The moment the band members began this chant at Woodstock became arguably the biggest moment of their careers, with over 400,000 people joining in. It’s a moment of protest that has gone down in history.
Not long after the festival, the band went their separate ways. McDonald continued to release solo music that stuck with the similar themes of politics and the Vietnam War.
“He took the toll for taking the stand,” said Seven. “He was not the biggest pop star, because he just opted to speak his mind and do his thing.”
In 1986, McDonald released “Vietnam Experience,” an album full of songs analyzing its long-term impacts on his generation. And in 1995 he was “the driving force” according to an Associated Press story, behind a war memorial to honor Berkeley veterans killed in the Vietnam War.
He told The Times in 1986 that he had “an addiction to Vietnam … I’ve been doing work with veterans now for 15 years, and I probably know more about Vietnam veterans than any other person in the entertainment industry.”
“I’ve always believed that the veterans are a basic element to the understanding of war,” he added, “and the understanding of war is the only path to peace.”
McDonald is survived by his wife of 43 years, Kathy; his five children, Seven, Devin, Ryan, Tara Taylor and Emily; a brother, Billy; and four grandchildren.
MUCH-LOVED Australian actress Lorraine Bayly has died at 89.
The Sullivan’s star died in her Sydney care home on Saturday morning.
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Australian actress Lorraine Bayly has died at 89Credit: Getty
Lorraine’s close friend, journalist Craig Bennett confirmed her death to 2GB on behalf of her family.
She was best known for starring in The Sullivans as Grace and presenting popular children’s show Playschool.
The hit show ran from 1976 to 1983.
After leaving The Sullivans, Lorraine took on a role that had been speficially written for her.
She played solicitor Jennifer Carson in Carson’s Law.
In a heartbreaking social media post, the actresses’ friend Craig called Lorraine a “showbiz legend, a bona fide star of stage and screen, a triple Logie winning TV treasure and beautiful friend to many”.
He noted that the award-winning actress only retired 10 years ago.
Just months ago, Demi capped off a stellar career comeback by being named Glamour’s Woman of the Year.
She was interviewed by her Substance co-star Margaret Qualley for the mag and said: “With everything I’ve been through, which has been a lot, I wouldn’t trade where I am today.”
She added a difference with her younger self is the “freedom to know I don’t have to have the answer, and life is not going to be completely stolen from me if I somehow don’t know”.
The actress has battled countless traumas and rejections during her life – including her biological dad leaving before she was born, saving her drug addicted mum from suicide, two spells in rehab and being raped aged 15.
The star of Ghost, Indecent Proposal and A Few Good Men’s return to form in the satirical horror movie The Substance is one of the greatest Hollywood comebacks of all time.
Having struggled to land a hit movie over the past couple of decades, Demi thought “this was it.”
In her speech, Demi said: “In those moments when we don’t think we’re smart enough, or pretty enough, or skinny enough, or are basically just not enough, I had a woman say to me, ‘Just know you will never be enough but you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick.’”
Demi didn’t follow up her win by bagging an Oscar, that award went to Mikey Madison, however she wasn’t upset by it.
She told Time: “I didn’t feel gutted.
“I didn’t feel any of those kinds of things.
“I just trusted, and am in trust of, whatever is going to unfold.”
She is set to present an award at this year’s ceremony on March 15 in LA, alongside other A-list talent lie Javier Bardem, Adrien Brody and Zoe Saldaña.
Demi Moore held her pet chihuahua at the fashion showCredit: GettyShe wore her shorter hair in a wet look styleCredit: GettyDemi is flying high after her Golden Globes win last yearCredit: GettyDemi in 1996 cult flick StripteaseCredit: Alamy
