DAN Walker bid farewell to BBC Breakfast last month and there have been talks of who could be his replacement.
Correspondent Jon Kay has been filling in for the host on the morning show. Get the lowdown on him.
After hosting on the famous red sofa since 2016, and joining the BBC seven years prior, Dan has decided to move over to Channel 5.
In doing so, the presenter has left a vacant space next to co-host Sally Nugent and rumours about who could fill it have been circulating.
Since his departure, however, Jon Kay has been filling in for Dan – but who is he and could he actually get the job?
A familiar face on-screen
The 52-year-old host could be the perfect replacement for Dan Walker as he first joined the BBC Breakfast team in 2010, meaning he already knows the ropes.
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Hailing from Hull, in East Yorkshire, Jon spent a year in a Californian High School and graduated with a degree in Politics in 1992 from the University of Exeter.
His calling to pursue a career in broadcast journalism only came to him when he was “mucking around” in the studios of University Radio Exeter.
This led to him starting off his career as a trainee local reporter in local radio stations, one year after his graduation.
Working with his wife
Jon then secured himself a full-time job at BBC Bristol, where he met his wife, former journalist and BBC news correspondent Francesca Kasteliz.
The couple welcomed three children together, but the family maintain a low profile despite Jon being followed by more than 43 thousand people on Twitter.
While she no longer shares the same profession as her husband, Francesca is still in the same field and could be a great help for her other half behind the cameras.
She’s working as a performance coach for presenters, reporters and spokespeople.
Her profile on Bristol Creative Industries reads: “Whether you’re a TV presenter, would-be TV talent, a reporter/correspondent, an expert in your field, a CEO or spokesperson for your organisation – I can help you fine-tune the skills you need to be the best you can be on-air.”
Jon and Francesca went on to travel around the world after he worked in London as a political reporter and news correpondent.
The pair were reported whilst going through South East Asia, China, Australasia and Central America.
During their time in Mexico, they even found themselves in the middle of a terrifying hurricane.
Speaking of his reporting around the world, he said: “Some of the reporting has been tough – like the repatriations at Wootton Bassett, the murder of Jo Yeates and the Vanessa George child-abuse scandal.”
“And hardly a month goes by without me being battered by gale-force winds or smothered in snow – but I also get to meet some amazing people and report on some fantastic things – like the Glastonbury Festival and an octogenarian sky-diver.”
He has also given a brief glimpse into his life working from home on social media.
“Filing a radio report while contending with kids shouting, wife on the phone, washing machine whirring, doorbell ringing, postman delivering, dog barking, builders banging, school playground next door.”
What is Jon Kay mostly known for?
While he is mostly known for his work on the BBC as the South and West of England correspondent on TV and radio, his career include stints as a BBC foreign correspondent abroad.
He became a BBC News at Six correspondent during the 2012 Olympics, meaning he has been present on our screens for ten years.
In 2014, Jon also reported on the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance while in Portugal.
Will Jon Kay replace Dan Walker?
Applications for Dan’s presenting role were shown on the BBC website and have been closed since May 24, 2022, with Jon being the favourite to take over.
Interviews for the role are allegedly still ongoing although BBC Breakfast’s official Twitter page has updated its cover photo to include Jon next to Naga Munchetty, Charlie Stayt and Sally Nugent.
This has since caused some “awkwardness” as claimed by a source speaking to The Daily Star.
“Much as everyone thinks Jon Kay is the heir apparent for Dan’s job, there has been some uneasiness that the ‘header’ picture for the official BBC Breakfast Twitter account has been changed in the last few days (while the process is still ongoing) to include Jon as one of the four main stars.”
The source added: “There is a bit of awkwardness that the bosses have put Jon in this situation.”
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“He is well-liked but there’s a feeling they’ve been a bit hasty and now it looks like a done deal before the process has even got going.”
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One.
