BBC Breakfast will be saying goodbye to chief presenter Dan Walker on Tuesday morning. The 45-year-old announced he was leaving the BBC One morning show last month and programme executives are yet to announce who will be replacing him.
There has been much speculation over who will be joining Sally Nugent on screen and bookmakers think the odds are in the favour of Jon Kay. The journalist, 52, is a South West correspondent for BBC News and often steps in for Walker when he is on holiday.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Ladbrokes said Kay's odds are "pulling away from the chasing pack". Other names tipped for the role include Gethin Jones, Mike Bushell and AJ Odudu.
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Walker will be joining Channel 5 and 5 News. Posting on social media, he said: "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 incredible 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."
The latest BBC salary disclosures revealed Walker was paid between £295,000 and £295,999 for his work on Breakfast and Football Focus between 2020 and 2021.
"It's looking increasingly likely that BBC chiefs have found Dan Walker's replacement, and he's no stranger to the Breakfast family, with Jon Kay pulling away from the chasing pack", a Ladbrokes spokesperson said. "Gethin Jones was favourite to get the gig once upon a time but has seen his odds drift over the last few days, and it now looks as though it's Kay's role if he wants it."
The role of chief presenter is still being advertised externally on the BBC jobs website with a closing date of May 24.
Here are Ladbrokes' favourites to replace Dan Walker:
- Jon Kay – 1/2
- Gethin Jones – 7/2
- Mike Bushell – 4/1
- Jermaine Jenas – 9/2
- AJ Odudu – 5/1
- Laura Tobin – 6/1
- Matt Baker – 9/1
