Category Archives: BBC Breakfast

‘They Are Not Deterred’: BBC Presenter Tells Tory Minister Rwanda Plan Is Not Working

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A Tory minister was left squirming this morning as he was shown evidence that the government’s Rwanda plan is not stopping asylum seekers from crossing the Channel.

Michael Tomlinson was told the migrants were “not being deterred” despite parliament finally passing a bill which could see them being deported to the east African country.

Rishi Sunak has insisted the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which is due to become law later today, will ultimately lead to him meeting his pledge to “stop the boats” making the perilous crossing from France to the UK.

But BBC Breakfast this morning broadcast live footage of asylum seekers trying to set off on the dangerous journey.

Tomlinson, who is the minister for illegal migration, was told by presenter John Kay: “It has been the case that people crossing the Channel for a year or so have known that they could be sent to Rwanda and yet what we’re seeing right now on our screens this morning are people still prepared to take that risk. They are not deterred.”

Asylum seekers preparing to cross the Channel this morning.
Asylum seekers preparing to cross the Channel this morning.

The minister admitted: “You’re broader point is right. We haven’t stopped the boats, but the prime minister is determined to ensure that we do stop the boats and that’s why we were determined to get the bill through parliament.

“We need to see the planes get off the ground. Once we see the planes take off, then we will see the deterrent effect.”

Figures released by the Home Office yesterday showed that the numbers crossing the Channel so far this year have increased by 24% compared to the same period in 2023.

In a statement this morning, the prime minister said: “We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them.

“The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.

“Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.”

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BBC Breakfast Disappears Off Air In The Middle Of Live Broadcast After On-Set Incident

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BBC Breakfast was briefly pulled off air during Friday’s live broadcast due to an incident on set.

During the live show, viewers were left confused when a segment about the 20th anniversary of Concorde’s final voyage was suddenly interrupted by footage from BBC News.

“Where have you gone? We have BBC News?” one wrote on X (formerly Twitter), while another asked: “What’s happened? There was a thing about Concorde and now we’re just getting BBC News channel?”

“Has anyone else’s BBC Breakfast just switched to BBC News?” someone else asked.

Meanwhile, several BBC radio stations also switched their output, including Radio 5 Live, which media reporter Scott Bryan noted “had to go on its backup tape of news jingles and music.”

Fortunately, within a few minutes, regular programming resumed, with Naga Munchetty reassuring viewers that everything was back to normal after a small evacuation of the BBC building in Salford.

“You’re returning to BBC Breakfast. Apologies, we had an evacuation in the building, but we are back now, with you to keep you up to date with the latest in the news,” she explained.

Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty in the BBC Breakfast studio
Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty in the BBC Breakfast studio

A BBC spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The programme was briefly off air this morning due to an evacuation at Quay House. BBC Breakfast switched to the BBC News Channel before resuming programming.”

This is far from the first time the BBC Breakfast team have had to think on their feet live on air, though.

Earlier this year, correspondent Nina Warhurst had to contend with a protester interrupting an on-location segment, while the show was previously forced off air in 2022 due to a fire alarm incident.

BBC Breakfast airs every Monday through Saturday from 6am on BBC One.

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Lewis Capaldi Leaves BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty And Charlie Stayt Speechless After X-Rated ‘Communication Breakdown’

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There’s always some laughs guaranteed when Lewis Capaldi pops up on TV and his appearance on BBC Breakfast on Saturday proved to be no different, after what he called “a classic breakdown of communication”.

The Someone You Loved singer left hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt speechless after mishearing a comment Naga made at the end of his interview on the show.

The X-rated moment came after Lewis had complimented Charlie on his “great hair”.

“Well you’ve got great hair too,” Charlie replied, before Lewis leaned in for a high-five.

Watching their blossoming bromance, Naga joked: “Would you like a room?”

“I thought you said rim!” Lewis said.

As Naga was left open-mouthed, laughter could be heard from behind the cameras.

“Jeez!” Charlie remarked.

Keen to quickly move things along, a smirking Naga joked she was going to “have a little word with Lewis” as she segued to a news bulletin.

Lewis had been on the show to promote his latest single Forget Me, which hit number one in the Official Chart last week.

BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and BBC News.

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Some Odd Things Are Happening As Britain Mourns The Queen

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Queen Elizabeth II’s death is being marked by a period of national mourning, with the late monarch’s funeral taking place next Monday once a series of royal protocols are followed.

The protracted memorial has created a vacuum which is being filled by some curious behaviour.

Too many marmalade sandwich tributes

Mourners are being urged not to leave Paddington bears and marmalade sandwiches among the floral tributes to the Queen.

The Royal Parks said on Monday no gifts or artefacts will be accepted and that non-floral objects should not be taken.

The shrines at royal residences over the last few days have included tributes such as teddy bears, Corgi soft toys, balloons and marmalade sandwiches in a nod to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee sketch with Paddington Bear.

“The Royal Parks are suggesting that there are enough Paddingtons and marmalade sandwiches in the parks at the moment,” BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent said outside Buckingham Palace on Monday morning.

“So please feel free to bring flowers, but maybe don’t bring anymore Paddingtons or marmalade sandwiches for now.”

Mother’s funeral cancelled

On the James O’Brien show on LBC radio, a caller told the presenter her mother’s funeral would not go ahead as it was on the same day as the Queen’s.

She said: “The funeral directors phoned us around 9 o’clock this morning and said ‘I’m sure you know why I’m ringing’. I didn’t. We’d had a few people contacting us over the weekend to say ‘had anything changed’ and we said of course not.”

The crematorium was very “matter of fact” that it would be closed next Monday, she said.

The caller added: “It feels like one of those decisions that can be made on paper very easily, but there’s no appreciation of the stress and practical problems that causes.”

Presenter films ‘quiet reflection’

GB News presenter Dan Wootton has faced a backlash after posting a video of himself laying a floral tribute at Buckingham Palace in a moment of “quiet reflection”.

Wootton wrote: “I wanted to return to Buckingham Palace today for some quiet reflection and lay my own tribute. Crowds young, old, from all ethnicities and backgrounds.

“Truly the best of British doing her justice.”

Someone claiming to have witnessed the spectacle suggested it took four takes.

And many pointed out he has previously criticised Harry and Meghan for being photographed at a war memorial in Los Angeles, California.

Bowie NFT delayed

Brands have been mocked mercilessly for what you might charitably describe as their clumsy attempts to pay tribute.

Among the more unlikely is the delayed launch of a new non-fungible token (NFT) project celebrating David Bowie.

‘Bowie On The Blockchain’ has been halted until the mourning period is over, according to the late pop star’s official Twitter account.

‘Car free day’ postponed

A London council has postponed its “car free day” to honour the Queen’s death.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has put the brakes on plans to keep King Street open to motorists, it said.

The borough announced on Twitter: “Please be aware that, following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, today’s scheduled Car Free Day celebration in Hammersmith has been postponed. As a result, King Street will now remain open to motorists.”

One Twitter user wrote: “A beautiful tribute. I’m watching the traffic jam between TK Maxx and the William Morris with a patriotic tear running down my cheek.”

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BBC Breakfast Forced Off Air After Fire Alarm Goes Off During Interview With The Apprentice’s Harpreet Kaur

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The Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur’s interview on BBC Breakfast came to an abrupt end after the show was forced off air on Saturday.

The dessert store owner was appearing on the show to discuss her recent win on the reality series, but a fire alarm went off mid-way through the chat.

Presenters Roger Johnson and Rachel Burden had to bring the show to an early close when a siren could be heard going off, before a voice instructed people to evacuate the building.

“I’m so sorry, for the time being we’re going to have to leave the studios. We’ll see if we can come back and talk about cake,” she said, referring to Harpreet’s winning business idea.

Roger could then be heard saying: “We think we’ve gone off air, we don’t know if you’re watching,” before a title card then appeared.

Having fallen off air just shortly before the start of Saturday Kitchen at 10am, the show did not return to BBC One.

The Apprentice star Lord Sugar, who awarded Harpreet a £250,000 investment into her business after winning the final of the series on Thursday, later joked about the incident on Twitter.

“I hope the fire alarm didn’t go off because Harpreet left another batch of cakes in the oven,” he tweeted.

It turned out to be a false alarm and the BBC later tweeted that everyone was “safe and is back in the building.”

BBC Breakfast airs daily at 6am on BBC One and BBC News. The Apprentice is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt Skewers Kwarteng Over The Government’s Ineffective Covid Policy

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Twitter @BBCBreakfast

Charlie Stayt with Kwasi Kwarteng on BBC Breakfast

BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt pointed out the obvious to Kwasi Kwarteng when the business secretary said the government’s Covid policy was working.

Speaking on Wednesday as the UK has one of the highest Covid infection rates in the world, the presenter was questioning why Downing Street has not yet acted and brought in more restrictions.

Kwarteng replied: “Our approach is working.”

Stayt probed: “In what sense?

“The situation we have according to the statistics – the infection rate is growing, the death rate is growing and the hospitalisation rate is growing…

“So your policy is working in… what respect?”

Hospital admission rates are six times higher, and the Covid-related death rate is three times higher, in the UK when compared to neighbouring European nations.

Kwarteng replied: “If you look at the beginning of the year where we had a huge rate, toll of daily deaths – the rate now, even though it’s picked up a little bit, is much lower as is the hospitalisation rate.

“This is a virus we are learning to live with.

“Clearly any increase is concerning and we’re monitoring the data as I say on a daily basis.

“But for now we think this policy is working. It can be reviewed at any stage, and we’ve talked to the experts you’ve quoted.

“But I don’t see any cause for changing the course at this minute.”

Kwarteng flatly ruled out the possibility of a future lockdown as well.

The government has faced repeated calls from NHS representatives to switch to plan B of its winter Covid strategy as the infection rate continues to climb. On Tuesday, the UK recorded the highest number of daily Covid cases since March 2021.

The NHS Confederation wants Downing Street to implement more mandatory face masks and less indoor mixing in a bid to prevent a crisis over the coldest months of the year.

However, No 10 has rejected such pleas even though it has been repeatedly accused of acting too late when it comes the pandemic before.

A damning Covid report released in October found that Downing Street’s early handling of the pandemic back in March 2020 was “the biggest ever public health failing” for not locking the UK down soon enough.

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Carol Kirkwood Dragged To Floor By Guide Dog During Live BBC Breakfast Broadcast

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BBC Breakfast star Carol Kirkwood was left red-faced – but unscathed – during Monday morning’s show when she found herself dragged to the floor by a guide dog.

During the live broadcast, Carol was presenting a segment remotely while holding the dog named Flash, praising her good behaviour to Dan Walker and Louise Nugent.

Unfortunately for Carol, that was short-lived.

A few moments later, the Labrador apparently tired of her TV appearance and made a bolt for it, taking Carol with her and leaving her face down on the ground.

“We’ve got a Kirkwood down!” Dan announced. “Someone save Carol!”

After gathering herself and putting her earpiece back in, which had been knocked out during the tumble, Carol assured her co-hosts she was doing alright, adding: “She’s a very strong girl, Flash.”

BBC

Don’t worry, folks. She’s alright!

Fortunately, Carol saw the funny side of the gaffe, and quickly reposted it on her Twitter page later in the morning:

However, regular BBC Breakfast viewers will know this isn’t the first time that Carol has found herself at the centre of a canine-related blunder.

Last summer, she found herself tongue-tied while presenting live from Greenwich Park, where she highlighted just how many dog-walkers could be seen around her.

Except… that’s not quite what the tongue-tied former Strictly Come Dancing star ended up saying.

“We’ve seen lots of doggers,” she announced, before quickly correcting herself, adding: “Not doggers of course. Lots of dog walkers and joggers around here during the course of this morning.”

BBC Breakfast airs every weekday from 6am on BBC One.

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Naga Munchetty Says ‘Lessons Have Been Learned’ From BBC Breakfast Trump Row

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Former MP Harvey Proctor Walks Out Of Tense Live BBC Interview With Naga Munchetty

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BBC Offers Explanation For Naga Munchetty Ruling Amid Growing Backlash

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