presenter

Bookmakers have suggested Sally Nugent is the frontrunner for the BBC Breakfast position

Bookmakers have tipped Sally Nugent to take over from Naga Munchetty on BBC Breakfast.

Naga announced last month that she was vacating her seat on the sofa, having been with the BBC morning programme since 2009, and now talk has turned to who will replace her.

Coral has now shared some odds and Sally – who is already one of the presenters on the programme – is the clear frontrunner for Naga’s job.

She currently has odds of 1/2, with Coral’s John Hill saying: “Sally Nugent is already a familiar face on BBC Breakfast, and our odds makes her the clear favourite to replace Naga Munchetty on the popular early-morning programme.”

Sally started her career at BBC Radio Merseyside and also worked at BBC North West Tonight and BBC News.

She became a part of the BBC Breakfast team as a sports presenter and then in 2021 it was announced that she was going to be a regular presenter from Mondays to Wednesdays. She usually hosts the programme alongside Jon Kay.

Other TV stars whose names are in the mix include BBC Morning Live host Helen Skelton, who is currently at 5/1 to succeed Naga when she bids farewell to the programme.

Sarah Campbell, who already hosts the programme, has odds of 7/1, while former BBC Breakfast business presenter Steph McGovern is on 6/1. Journalist Tina Daheley is listed at 8/1, while Emma Vardy and Luxmy Gopal, both hosts on the show, are at 10/1 and 12/1 respectively.

Broadcaster and newsreader Victoria Derbyshire is also considered a potential candidate for Naga’s role, and is currently at 14/1.

Naga confirmed last month that she was leaving BBC Breakfast and that she will assume the role of presenting 5 Live Breakfast five days a week from January.

“It has been a privilege to be part of the BBC Breakfast TV team for the past 17 years, working alongside an incredibly talented and hard-working group of journalists who are not only outstanding colleagues but also great friends,” she said in a statement.

“Presenting a flagship programme on 5 Live is an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up. It will take a huge amount of work and require 100% of my focus and energy, and I’m really looking forward to throwing myself into the role.”

BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One.

The presenter has returned to leading Wimbledon coverage alongside Clare Balding on the BBC

Wimbledon has returned to BBC screens, with a whole host of familiar faces fronting the BBC ’s coverage.

Once again joining Clare Balding in leading commentary, Isa Guha will be presenting, having made her Wimbledon debut on the BBC in 2022.

The following year, it was confirmed The Celebrity Traitors star Clare would be replacing Sue Barker as the BBC’s face of Wimbledon, with Isa praising Sue, saying: “She’s got an incredible warmth. When you watch her on television she feels like a friend.

“She was someone I certainly watched when I was younger, never imagined that I’d even be in her company so to be sat there with her and see how she goes about her business, her offering me advice and so forth, it was a little bit surreal but at the same time we’re just watching her in awe because she’s been the face of the BBC for such a long time and we absolutely respect and admire everything she’s done for sports broadcasting as a female.

“It was just an incredible time last year. The ability to be there with Sue, see how she operates, the doyenne of sports broadcasting, and to be in Clare Balding’s company and all these legends. It was a pretty amazing experience.”

Inside Isa Guha’s career

Born in Buckinghamshire in 1985 to parents who emigrated from Calcutta, India, to the UK in the 1970s, Isa is a former England cricketer.

She fit her sporting career around her academics, graduating with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from UCL, and later gaining an MPhil in neuroscience.

At the same time, Isa played world class cricket, later recalling to The Telegraph that “a phase” led her to studying.

“I went through a phase after we won the World Cup of ‘what am I going to do with my life?’” she said.

“I would spend three or four days a week training in the morning and then going to university. It took seven years [attempting to do a PhD] and I wanted to quit after the second year because it was just too much.”

She played in the 2005 South Africa World Cup and the 2009 Australia World Cup, and made history as the first South Asian woman to represent England after making her international cricketing debut at the age of 17.

In 2009, Isa was named the ICC number one ranked bowler in the world.

She announced her retirement from international cricket in 2012, and has since moved onto presenting and commentary.

Isa joined ITV Sport in 2012, co-presenting cricket coverage, and later moved on to work for Sky Sports and Fox.

In 2020, she became the lead presenter of the BBC’s test match and ODI highlights show.

Who is Isa Guha’s husband?

Isa married her long-term partner, musician Richard Thomas, in 2018.

Hailing from Cornwall, the singer was a member of acoustic-led, alternative rock band Brothers and Bones.

After ten years together, the band broke up at the end of 2020, having opened tours for the likes of Ben Howard and Bastille.

In September 2018, Isa took to X to share pictures from her gorgeous wedding in Cornwall, writing: “It’s been a challenging year but with this incredible human by my side I know I can get through anything. So lucky to have him in my life – these two pics pretty much sum up our amazing day, with so many of our best friends and family.”

She also previously spoke about the difficult time it had been for her family, after her mother received a cancer diagnosis not long before the wedding.

Speaking of her wedding, she told The Telegraph in a 2019 interview: “We got her out of hospital and did a small, intimate ceremony, then the following week in Cornwall, Ebony [Rainford-Brent – Guha’s former teammate] was on FaceTime to her throughout the whole wedding. She did get to see us get married.”

Praising her husband for his support, particularly after her mother’s death in January 2019, she added to the publication: “He was just incredible. I am super lucky to have him in my life. He was just amazing, the last six months or so.”

Wimbledon airs on BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer.

An Argentine television presenter has resigned after falsely reporting that the father of Lionel Messi had died during Argentina’s first World Cup game.

Florencia Pena made the claim during a live broadcast on Argentine streaming channel Luzu TV following Argentina’s opening group game win over Algeria.

“I don’t want to bring bad news, but Messi’s father has just passed away. It was sudden. In the middle of the World Cup,” Pena said while hosting the show.

The report quickly spread on social media before Pena clarified that the information had not been confirmed.

The Messi family later issued a statement confirming that the player’s father, Jorge Messi, is receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed health condition.

The statement said the 68-year-old is under medical supervision and recovering, while criticising speculation surrounding his health and calling for privacy during a difficult period.

Pena apologised publicly and said the information had been passed to her during the programme as if it was verified news.

“I apologise to the Messi family,” she said in a statement. “I am deeply ashamed to have been involved in this mistake.”

The 51-year-old television personality and actress now says she was given unverified information.

“I have to clarify that this false information was given to me live on air as if it had been checked by the show’s production team, and I trusted it,” Pena wrote on social media on Thursday.

“Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu.

“I apologise again from the heart; I was wrong.”

Luzu TV also apologised and announced disciplinary action following the incident, saying the dissemination of sensitive information without proper verification was unacceptable.

Nicolas Occhiato, the show’s host and producer, said: “We at Luzu TV deeply regret what happened on the air during the program El Show de Verano. For our channel, the broadcast of sensitive information without proper prior verification is unacceptable.

“For this reason, Luzu TV management has decided to terminate the employment of all those responsible, and Florencia Pena has decided to step down.

“We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful, and rigorous journalism.”

The controversy came after Messi scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria. The 38-year-old appeared emotional during the match and later said he had experienced “difficult days” for personal reasons unrelated to football.

The false report triggered widespread criticism across Argentina, with many supporters condemning the failure to verify the information before it was broadcast.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei called it “Trash talk” on X, saying that Pena’s “outrageous and unscrupulous, unverified statements on a streaming channel, which would still be outrageous even if the information had been true, since they concern a citizen’s private life, remind us of the impunity with which some individuals believe they can operate simply because they have a microphone or a pen in their hand”.

Argentina continue their World Cup campaign against Austria on Monday (18:00 BST).

TV presenter Ashley Cain has been accused of using sexual and misogynistic language to describe women in a series of historical social media posts and now the BBC has spoken out on the matter

The BBC says it is taking accusations that presenter Ashley Cain used explicit sexual and misogynistic language to describe women online in historical social media posts “very seriously”.

The broadcaster is thought to be unaware of the remarks prior to an investigation led by The Guardian which claimed the TV personality frequently referred to women on X, formerly Twitter, using abusive terms and sexualised language, including “sl*gs”, “sl*ts” and “psychos”.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We are very clear we expect the highest standards of behaviour from everyone who works with or for the BBC. “When allegations are brought to our attention we take them seriously. We will consider this information carefully and do not intend to comment further at this stage.”

The former Coventry City football player, 35, is best known for fronting the BBC Three documentary series Ashley Cain: Into The Danger Zone where he explores issues affecting young men born into a life of criminality.

The newspaper reported on Wednesday that before Cain worked for the national broadcaster he was a prolific user of social media. In 2014, in response to a since-deleted tweet he perceived to be homophobic, Cain is accused of telling a woman online that she should “go and choke on a c*** you sl**”.

Cain’s X account appears to have been removed from the platform. The broadcaster is understood to have asked the independent production companies that hired Cain to review the social media checks conducted at the time.

Cain appeared last year on the BBC’s spin off cooking programme, Celebrity MasterChef. Transmission details of Into The Danger Zone series two are yet to be announced.

The star also gained respect from the public following the tragic death of his daughter Azaylia, Ashley and his then-partner, Azaylia’s mum Safiyya Vorajee, documented their extraordinary efforts to try and save her life – including raising £1.5 million to fly her to Singapore for specialist treatment.

But sadly, the child died on April 25, 2021. Ashley and his former partner went on to form The Azaylia Foundation, which supports families dealing with childhood cancer.

Five years on from the devastating day of the youngster’s funeral, dad Ashley shared an Instagram post. Alongside solemn images from the funeral, Ashley wrote: “Today I cried for the first time in a long time. As soon as I turned into the cemetery and saw her resting place, I couldn’t control the emotions that had obviously built up inside me.

“The truth is, I cannot believe it has been 5 years since we laid her to rest, and I still can’t seem to accept it. “But my time spent with her today was peaceful, it was beautiful, and it was one of those moments where time stood still… where I could reminisce about all that she was, and every moment I was privileged and blessed enough to spend with her.”

He went on: “May you continue to rest in eternal paradise my princess, and until we meet again… I will love you with the entirety of my heart, forever and always.”

The Mirror has contacted Ashley’s representatives for comment.

The One Show has welcomed back one of its hosts after she was absent due to illness

One of the presenters on The One Show has returned to the sofa after taking time off ill.

Alex Jones is usually a staple on the BBC programme but was absent on Monday and Tuesday this week, with JB Gill stepping in and hosting alongside her regular co-presenter, Roman Kemp.

However, the TV star was back on Wednesday (June 3), fronting the show alongside Angellica Bell.

Alex’s return was confirmed on Instagram ahead of the show, with Angellica exclaiming: “Good news, everyone. Alex is back!”

“Are you feeling better?” she asked the presenter.

“I am,” replied Alex. “I am slightly croaky, but we’ll get through it,” she added.

As the show started, she told Angellica that she had “nearly recovered” after being unwell, adding: “Glad to be here.”

The pair then turned to announcing the guests who would be on the show – Dara Ó Briain and Shania Twain.

Alex has been hosting the BBC programme for several years, and is one of the show’s best known presenters. The star, who has three children with her husband Charlie, has been a presenter on the programme since 2010, hosting with stars such as Matt Baker, Ronan Keating and Roman.

Speaking last year, she told the BBC: “I feel incredibly proud to have been on the iconic sofa for all these years. It certainly doesn’t feel like 15 years, and it still feels fresh, as the show keeps evolving. I feel like we keep coming back better and better.

“I started as a young girl and I feel like I’ve grown up with our viewers. They have seen me through all my big life moments like getting engaged and married, to having children. Our viewers are like extended family by now!”

She went on: “I think the reason is it really strikes a chord with people because we sit right at the heart of the nation. Our job, essentially, is to reflect what’s going on. All the small daily bits and pieces, but also the big events that affect the country.”

The One Show airs at 7pm on BBC One on weekdays.

Children’s TV presenter Dave Benson Phillips – who hosted CBBC game show Get Your Own Back – was left unable to walk after suffering with his health

A beloved children’s TV presente has recalled how he was left unable to walk after a painful health battle. Dave Benson Phillips, now 61, presented CBBC game show Get Your Own Back and has recalled how when he was in pantomime, he noticed something about his legs that alarmed him and he immediately sought help.

“I began getting tingling in my legs and to lose mobility. It was very slow, but it was very painful. It was quite scary,” he explained, before it was later revealed that he had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Dave, who was already pre-diabetic, found out 10 years ago that he had diabetes. “I realised it was my own doing, my own fault. But it was still an incredible shock. It was a frightening thing,” he explained.

Dave is now using a Dexcom ONE+ glucose monitor to keep an eye on his blood sugar levels. “It has made having diabetes a lot easier, because it takes away all the guess work,” he explains.

Now, Dave is encouraging others to focus on their health after his own struggles. “I’ve had a real battle. I don’t like the fact that there’s things I’ve had to give up. But having diabetes made me aware of making good decisions about my lifestyle. I want to be around for as long as possible,” he told the Mail.

Dave had previously opened up about how he was one of the first victims of fake news being spread online. He shared: “Imagine my surprise when this lady said to me, ‘Look, you have a Facebook page that says some awful things about children with special needs.’

“I remember diving into Dixons. They had a computer connected to the internet. I said, ‘Do you mind if I take a look?’ The guy realised my distress and sat me down. We saw this page which looked like it was mine; pictures and posters of me, with all this information in between about what terrible people children with special needs are. It was a horrible thing to read.”

He recalls how he had to set up his own social media at the time, so that people could realise the other accounts were trolls. He explained: “The police got involved. One particular person had set up an algorithm that would bombard me; we found quarter of a million emails from one source, and we couldn’t prove who it was.

“Despite the fact that we can see who’s doing it nobody has to be accountable.”

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