Dan Walker has hit out at rumours about his BBC Breakfast departure in a lengthy social media post. It comes after the presenter announced he was quitting the morning news show after six years.
The television host took to Instagram to slam "so-called sources" and "made-up moles" discussing his shock exit. In the statement the 45-year-old said it was a "tough decision" to leave BBC Breakfast for Channel 5 news.
Posting a photo of a sunset to symbolise the end of his BBC stint, Dan wrote: "It is often the case that the simple truth is much duller than all the made-up 'moles' and so-called 'sources' claim."
Read more: When is Dan Walker leaving BBC Breakfast and why is he going?
He continued: "In a nutshell… a bloke with a really good job, which he loved, got offered a really good job somewhere else which provided an amazing new challenge and the opportunity to make some exciting telly.
"The bloke explained to his current employers that, even though it was a tough decision, he had decided to leave. They are now trying their best to allow him to make a dignified departure. Have a lovely Monday. I'm off to have some toast."
Dan confirmed he was leaving BBC Breakfast with an announcement on Monday, April 4, and explained he would be moving to Channel 5 News. He will be replacing Sian Williams who stepped down from anchoring the show last month.
While an official date hasn't been announced Dan confirmed in a short clip that he would be leaving BBC Breakfast "in the next few weeks". He said: "Hello, Dan Walker here. I have a little bit of news for you. In the next few weeks I'm going to be leaving BBC Breakfast and moving to 5 News and to Channel 5.
"I'm really excited but this has also been a massive decision for me because I love BBC Breakfast. I love working alongside Sally [Nugent] and I love the team there. But Channel 5 came with big ambitions, with big plans and I don't think opportunities like this come around very often and I can't wait."
"I've also had the incredibly privilege of working on some iconic programmes over the last few years, both at the BBC and elsewhere and what I love about this deal is I not only get to present the news, but also host a whole range of programmes right across the channel."
He continued: "And what an honour to step into the shoes of Sian Williams, I know how popular she is with both the team and also the audience. All I can say is I will do my very best to maintain her incredibly high standards. Thank you for watching and I’ll see you soon on a TV screen somewhere."
Dan joined the BBC Breakfast sofa in 2016 and co-hosts the programme with Sally Nugent after Louise Minchin stepped down in September 2021 after 20 years on the show. You can read more on this here. For more showbiz and television stories, get our newsletter here.
