BBC Breakfast host Jon Kay is a familiar face on our screens, delivering the day’s biggest news alongside co-host Sally Nugent. But while viewers see him grilling politicians and chatting with celebs, there’s another side to Jon that many might not know—his life as a husband and father-of-three.
Jon has been married to Francesca Kasteliz for years, but their love story goes way back to the late ‘90s, when they first crossed paths at BBC Bristol in 1998. According to The Mirror, both were young journalists at the time, with Francesca starting out as a trainee news reporter before moving into local TV and radio. The pair hit it off while navigating the fast-paced world of news, and their careers flourished alongside their relationship.
Francesca’s career took off quickly—by 1999, she had landed a role as a TV and Radio News Correspondent for BBC National Network News and later became an Assistant News Editor at BBC News. Her impressive work didn’t go unnoticed, earning her prestigious awards, including a Royal Television Society Award for Best News Item.
But despite her success in journalism, Francesca made a major career switch in 2006. Instead of chasing headlines, she turned her focus to coaching, becoming a Senior Coach and Trainer at the BBC Academy and later an internal coach for the corporation. These days, she runs TV Coach Limited, helping on-air talent from networks like the BBC and Channel 4 perfect their presenting skills.
She’s particularly passionate about mentoring women and young people in the industry, writing on her website: “My particular passion is helping women and young people find their voice on-air and in the TV industry.”
Francesca still keeps a foot in the media world, often reminiscing about her reporting days. In a recent Twitter post, she shared an old snap of herself outside the Conservative Party’s Central Office in a lilac shirt and black jacket, her voluminous hairstyle straight out of 1999. “My son found this old footage on the internet and howled with laughter. Mainly at my hairstyle, I think. Well, it was 1999,” she joked.
Away from the cameras, Jon and Francesca share a busy home life with their three children and a 14-year-old cocker spaniel. While Jon remains a familiar face on morning television, Francesca’s work behind the scenes is shaping the next generation of TV talent—proving that their media legacy is very much a family affair.
