In a rare change to the usual format of BBC Breakfast, presenter Nina Warhust is taking a well-deserved break from the show this Sunday, leaving co-host Ben Thompson to steer the program on his own. Typically a dynamic duo on air, Nina and Ben have been the familiar faces anchoring the morning news together every Sunday. However, this week, Ben found himself occupying the iconic red sofa alone as Nina opted to spend some quality family time during half term.
Although Nina has not formally announced her absence from the program, she offered a glimpse into her day off by sharing a snapshot on her Instagram Story on Saturday, February 15. The image showed her son enjoying the Horrible Histories tour at Manchester’s Palace Theatre. Her accompanying caption read: “Half term is GO with Terrible Tudors,” read the caption. “It was gory, funny, and pacey (crucially under 2 hrs all up).”
Nina’s impressive journey with the BBC began back in 2010 when she started her career with East Midlands Regional News. Her dedication and talent soon led her to present roles at BBC North West, Sunday Politics North West, and BBC Sport. In 2018, she joined the BBC Breakfast team and later took over as business presenter in 2020, succeeding Steph McGovern, as reported by the Express. Her versatility has seen her fill in for various colleagues during the week, including a recent report from London’s Royal Free Hospital, where she covered the pressures faced by NHS frontline workers.
This week’s line-up on BBC Breakfast has seen some reshuffling. Jon Kay and Sally Nugent traditionally host the program from Monday to Wednesday, with Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt taking charge from Thursday to Saturday. However, changes have arisen as Ben Thompson has stepped in for Charlie for four consecutive days, sparking confusion among viewers. At the time of writing, Charlie Stayt has yet to comment on his absence from the show.
On today’s edition of the program, Ben updated viewers on several pressing headlines, including the detention of a British couple in Iran, a recent shooting incident in Kent, and the upcoming BAFTA Film Awards. During the live broadcast, he also shared some “breaking” news: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss ending the conflict in Ukraine.
“That comes as Sir Keir Starmer and other European leaders gear up for an emergency summit tomorrow amid concerns that Europe is being sidelined from the peace talks,” Ben elaborated before handing over to the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, who provided a pre-recorded report from Munich, where the annual Security Conference was drawing to a close.
Adding to the program’s varied content, Chetan Pathak delivered sports updates while Simon King provided regular weather forecasts, ensuring that despite the temporary change, viewers received comprehensive coverage of the day’s news.
