BBC Breakfast Cut Mid-Show for Special Announcement by Presenters
On Monday, July 29, viewers tuning in to BBC Breakfast at 8 am were surprised by the absence of presenters Ben Thompson and Sally Nugent. The popular morning show, which typically airs on BBC One between 6 am and 9:30 am, faced a schedule shift to accommodate coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
According to the Express, BBC Breakfast began as usual at 6 am on BBC One before moving to BBC Two at 8 am. In its place, Jeanette Kwayke and JJ Chalmers provided live coverage from day three of the Olympics, continuing until 1 pm.
This schedule adjustment is part of a broader set of changes over the coming weeks. On Tuesday, July 30, and Wednesday, July 31, BBC Breakfast will start at 6 am on BBC One but will switch to BBC Two after 45 minutes, running from 6:45 am to 9 am. On Thursday and Friday, the show will move to BBC Two starting at 8 am.
The disruption follows recent changes, including the shortening of Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt’s Saturday program on July 27 for the Olympics.
Many viewers expressed their frustration with the sudden schedule changes, taking to social media to voice their discontent. One viewer tweeted, “Olympics, I switched it off and went to bed #bbcbreakfast,” while another wrote, “@BBCNews you’ve cut #bbcbreakfast short! Can’t the Olympics wait till 9? Or put it on News24?” Another frustrated fan added, “#bbcbreakfast I might as well do my big shop at 8:00 am. #OlympicGames.”
The Olympics coverage is not only impacting BBC Breakfast but also other popular shows. Morning Live will take a break and won’t return until Monday, August 26. The One Show has also paused its broadcasts, with the last episode airing on Thursday, July 25.
During the final episode before the break, presenters Alex Jones and Roman Kemp informed viewers about the temporary hiatus. Roman said, “Enjoy the Olympics, see you on August 12.” Alex Jones added, “Bye, have a nice summer,” as they signed off for the season.
As BBC adjusts its programming for the Olympics, viewers will need to adapt to the temporary changes and look forward to the return of their favorite shows once the games conclude.