Dan Walker only managed to lock in “two hours and 46 minutes” sleep before hosting his final BBC Breakfast due to “travel issues” the night before. As the 45-year-old took his “final stroll” into the BBC studio in the early hours of Tuesday morning, he uploaded a video to his social media accounts saying he did not have the “best prep for the final day”.
In a previous post from the night before, Walker said he was stuck on the M4 charging his electric vehicle and joked he may not make it to the studio in time. On Tuesday morning, he managed to get home eventually but it was late in the evening, so he only got “two hours and 46 minutes'” sleep.
Despite that, he commented on the “glorious morning” and said he was heading into his final show “armed with cakes for the brilliant breakfast team who have been a pleasure to work for the last six years”.
Sally Nugent said it is the “end of an era” as she shared a picture of herself alongside Dan Walker, who is presenting his last BBC Breakfast programme. She tweeted: “End of an era. Join us on @BBCBreakfast with @mrdanwalker for the last time. One or two surprises on the way.”
BBC Breakfast sport presenter Mike Bushell was also among the people sending Dan Walker farewell messages as he presented his last morning programme. Bushell tweeted: “Breakfast legend @mrdanwalker will always be. One of loveliest h sapiens on the tele box and genuine wonderful friend and bloke off it.
“Always makes a very difficult job seem so easy. Could present anything, unlike Lynn (in AP) even a cat. Have a great last show @BBCBreakfast.”
Dan Walker said hosting a show like BBC Breakfast was a “dream” of his as he closed his final programme. The 45-year-old admitted he does not know who would be replacing him but said he hopes they care about the programme, the people they work with, and viewers.
Walker closed his final show on Tuesday morning sat beside his current co-presenter Sally Nugent and former long-term co-host Louise Minchin, who made a surprise appearance, while surrounded by the show’s production team.
He said: “It’s always been my dream to do a job like this and work with people like you guys, so thank you.
“It’s come around a lot more quickly than I thought. It does feel a bit surreal, the fact that I won’t be sitting on the sofa anymore, that I won’t be sitting next to you after today, that this is my last day.”
Walker also praised and thanked the production and gallery team for being “amazing and lovely” and “making the show what it is”.
“I think at a time when trust and truth have never been more important, it’s great to work with a team who I know – and I see this every single day – that we do everything and you do everything to make sure that what we do and what we say is fair and accurate and that is so important”, he said.
Walker also paid tribute to his co-presenters, including BBC Breakfast’s weather woman Carol Kirkwood, who he described as the “backbone” of the programme and a “true friend” from the moment he arrived.
The broadcaster turned to Minchin, with whom he fronted the show for many years, recalling the “amazing” time they spent together and the friendship they have formed.
He also praised Nugent for being “brilliant” at the job, revealing he was “so happy” she took over from Minchin in September and that they got to have a “wonderful time together” over the last few months.
Walker closed his final moments on the show by saying: “I think we could have gone on to have many years enjoying time together on this sofa but things change, and change can be tough sometimes, but it’s also good.
“You can take this show and you can make it amazing like you’ve already done.
“And I think millions of people enjoy watching you and you’re a very special person and we all know that and I want you to have every success in the years to come.
“And getting up at three can be tough sometimes but I’ve loved that because of you and you and everybody watching as well.
“So keep watching. Thank you very much for a lovely send off. Thank you for having me and see you all soon, guys.”
Walker, who had been a fixture on the show since 2016, announced his departure earlier this month. He leaves the BBC to join Channel 5 to become the lead anchor on 5 News.
Walker also previously presented the BBC’s Football Focus show from 2009 to 2021. He took part in the 2021 series of Strictly Come Dancing, revealing he signed up for the show to do something “fun” and have a “giggle” after reporting on difficult news stories during the pandemic.
Channel 5 said his new remit will see him presenting recently relaunched flagship news bulletin 5 News, as well as “fronting a range of new programming on the channel”. Beginning his final week at the BBC, Walker said he was “very sad” and posted a video on social media using a viral snapchat filter that gives people a permanent sad face.
He revealed co-presenter Sally Nugent, who took over from Minchin in September 2021, had wanted “absolutely nothing to do with (the video)”. He previously told Nugent that it would be nice to be getting slightly more sleep in his new role but that the decision to leave had also been a “big” and “sad” one.
“It is nice but, as I have explained to you, it’s also quite … it was a big decision and it’s quite a sad one as well,” he told her on the programme. The other thing to say is thank you to everybody who sent so many lovely messages, and one thing I have realised, because lots of people want to chat to you, don’t they, about this programme, because it means an awful lot to an awful lot of people, it’s reminded me how special this show is and how much everybody who watches it loves it, so thank you very much to everyone who’s come up and said some lovely things.”
