presenters

Weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker is reportedly considering quitting the BBC along with two other long-serving presenters amid major cuts announced by the broadcaster

Tomasz Schafernaker, and two other presenters are reportedly considering quitting the BBC. The meteorologist, 47, first joined BBC Weather in 2000 and is currently the lead presenter.

But now, insiders have claimed that the broadcaster is planning to downsize its national weather team, and it’s thought that Tomasz, along with fellow long-serving presenters Louise Lear and Darren Bett are “”considering voluntary redundancy” following the huge changes to the brand that were announced last week.

The BBC initially claimed that they were planning to “make more of their much-loved local weather presenters,” which would mean a reduction in those who present on a national basis. A source said: “It’s the end of an era for our weather presenting. The audience wants a bit of digital and TV – including a good old fashioned forecast.”

Speaking to The Times, one presenter added: “The team is already very lean and punched above its weight for many years producing a huge amount of output across all platforms 24 hours a day. It isn’t fair to compare it to the behemoth that is the rest of BBC News.”

In 2006, Tomasz became famous when he jokingly raised his middle finger to newsreader Simon McCoy live on air and enjoyed a media career off the back off it, going on to model for magazines and appear on TV shows like Celebrity MasterChef, Would I Lie To You?, Pointless Celebrities, and The Weakest Link.

Meanwhile, Darren presented Look North before becoming part of the launch team for BBC News 24 in 1997, and is currently the main weather presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live. Before joining the BBC in 1998, Louise worked as a weather presenter for Central Television, has been seen on Countryfile and is regularly fronts the weather segment on BBC News At Six.

Another presenter told the outlet that whilst there is still an audience for weather, there is a push to lean towards a more digital output with the genre.

The insider said: “The appetite for weather has massively grown, but people standing in front of a map giving a national picture is less relevant. We are going to be more digital-focused because there’s a really strong argument that what is now needed is more reporting than presenting.”

The BBC initially cut ties with the Met Office service in 2017 and turned to Dutch MeteoGroup, which was the acquired by the US weather services company DTN, for their meteorological output. But last year, a new deal was put in place which meant the broadcaster would reunite with the UK’s national weather and climate service.

Announcing the changes and a more digital approach to the output following the summer heatwave, BBC News’ interim CEO Jonathan Munro said: “As this summer’s heatwaves have proved, up-to-the minute and accurate weather information has never been more important.

“I’m looking forward to our partnership with the Met Office – this is a very apt time for our two trusted national institutions to be reunited.”

It all comes amid what the BBC has called a £500 million cost-cutting drive, with staple programmes Live at the Apollo, Blankety Blank and Celebrity Mastermind having already faced the axe.

Executives are aiming for at least £100 million in yearly recurring savings, which will eventually cut original television output by 100 to 150 hours across the broadcaster.

Falling audiences also had a significant influence on the decisions. Live at the Apollo plummeted from 1.3 million viewers in 2018 to approximately 660,000 for its most recent series.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Mastermind tumbled from an average of 4 million viewers in 2017 to 1.7 million. Blankety Blank similarly dropped from 5.5 million viewers during its 2021 debut to 2.3 million. BBC One’s Breakfast will no longer air on Sunday mornings from September whilst the production teams making Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will merge.

Radio 4’s The World Tonight will end from September, and the number of permanent presenters on Today will be cut from five to four with a single anchor on the show on Saturdays. World Tonight is being replaced by Newshour, and Breakfast on Sunday is being replaced by the BBC News Channel.

The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.

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Carole Malone has hit out at Adam Boulton after the former Sky News presenter described Ann Widdecombe as a ‘spinster’ and ‘old maid’ on live television.

A former Sky News star has been criticised for comments he made about Ann Widdecombe by broadcaster Carole Malone.

The former Conservative politician and Reform UK spokesperson’s death aged 78 was announced on Friday, July 10. It was confirmed she was found dead at her Devon home the day before after sustaining serious injuries.

While her agents released a statement paying tribute, no cause of death has been given, and a police investigation has been ongoing. In the days that have followed her death, headlines have been focused on the investigation across all major news outlets.

However, one presenter has been slammed for his comments, and later issued an apology. Adam Boulton had described Strictly Come Dancing star Ann as a “spinster” and an “old maid”.

He said on Sky News: “She was very much a spinster, by the end I think you’d probably describe her as an old maid. Reportedly, she claimed that she was a virgin.”

After his comments on live TV, Boulton issued an apology, saying: “I was seriously wrong and insensitive in one of the several media appearances I made yesterday in reaction to the death of Ann Widdecombe. I got the timing and tone of my initial word portrait of her wrong.

“Of course I shared, and share, the horror at her murder and the respect for her remarkable and feisty political career. I also know that many people loved her for her subsequent showbiz stardom. Her untimely death is a horrible thing.

“My mistaken view was that in the context of rolling news coverage, I was being asked to contribute as an obituarist who has known her and interacted with her since the 1980s. This approach was premature.

“At no point was I expressing my personal feelings about her, that’s not what I do. I was discussing her life in the round, based on the record of known facts and what she has said about herself, along with some recollections of our personal interactions. My choice of words on the spur of the moment was clumsy. I did not intend to offend though obviously I did.”

Boulton went on to call himself a freelance contributor, and said he was “freely” issuing the apology after confessing “I got this badly wrong”. He also apologised to Sky News and Times Radio for the “unwarranted” criticism the outlets received over his “mistake”.

Among the criticism he has received, Carole Malone lashed out, writing on X: “You’re a very clever man. How could you not have known what you were saying as it was coming out of your mouth. Or are you really so lacking in compassion and sensitivity? Your apology is not so much about Ann but more about you saving your various work contracts.”

Malone elsewhere wrote on X, unrelated to Boulton’s apology: “All those cretinous savages gleefully celebrating the brutal murder of Ann Widdecombe – a 78 year old lady who spent her last moments on this earth in abject terror – there’s a special place in Hell for you all. The universe has a way of coming for morons like you!”

Mirror has approached Boulton’s representative for a comment. The latest from the investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death has seen the police arrest a 28-year-old white British man in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East has said “new information and evidence has come to light” as they are leading the investigation. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also issued a statement saying: “The police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack. I will be updating the House further this afternoon.”

BBC Breakfast viewers were left in hysterics after a schoolgirl’s response to the social media ban.

A schoolgirl has gone viral for her response to a BBC presenter’s question about the social media ban.

Sir Keir Starmer announced on Monday, June 15, that under-16s will be banned from using social media to protect their health and safety.

He said the ban would give children more time, freedom and opportunities, adding: “That is all any parent wants. They want to know that Britain will be better for their children, that they will get a fair chance.”

If passed in parliament, the ban will come into force by spring 2027, the Prime Minister added.

Not everyone has been left thrilled with the announcement, including several children who will see their social media usage taken away.

One teen appeared on BBC Breakfast, and had a reaction that left viewers “howling”.

While presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent were in the studio, BBC journalist Fiona Lamdin broadcast live from a school in Tarleton, Lancashire.

She began: “I’m just outside Preston at Tarleton Academy, as I arrived this morning, I watched the pupils. These pupils are from year seven to year nine so aged 11-14.

“Like many schools across the country, they put their phone in a pouch which is then locked, a magnetic lock and they cannot then get to that throughout the whole school day.

“This school is completely phone-free. I have to say, we have asked with the permission of the head for the pupils to get their phones out this morning so we can get their screen time.”

Fiona then spoke to various students whose screen times from the weekend were several hours.

One child thought his would be between two and four hours, but actually had ten hours of screen time on one day, which, he said, was mostly spent on TikTok, “scrolling because I’m bored”.

“I’ll just have to adapt, maybe go read a book or go outside,” he admitted, if the changes were to come in force. “I’ll feel quite disappointed, because I’ve got nothing else to do throughout the day, so I’ll just have to do other things that will be fun.”

While he had given options of things he could do if he were to be banned from social media, another school child wasn’t so convinced.

Just hours later, BBC Breakfast returned to Fiona in Lancashire, after Sir Keir’s announcement, as she caught up with the children after the ban had been announced.

Most of the students revealed their disappointment, and schoolgirl Isabella shared: “I didn’t think it would actually happen, l kind of thought he would chicken out of it and give it more time or more consideration but he seems pretty sure of it and I’m not sure if I agree with him.”

She said she was most worried about not being able to contact her friends, adding that she mainly used social media to speak to her family.

After revealing her screen time over the weekend was nine hours, Isabella was asked by Fiona what she would now do with her spare time.

Isabella’s dead pan response followed: “Stare at a wall.”

Viewers were left in hysterics, re-sharing the clip on social media as one person captioned it: “This diva’s got the best reaction to the social media ban x.”

“Icon,” one person replied, as another said: “SCREAMING.” “HOWLING,” another wrote, while one person added: “Nahh she’s jokes.”

BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.