BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull is leaving the programme after nearly 15 years, it has been announced. Turnbull said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and his bees – and have a lie-in.
He confirmed his intention to quit BBC Breakfast in January next year on Wednesday morning’s programme, saying he would miss everyone, but that he still had “plenty of time to annoy you all”.
He's right, you know. https://t.co/YZ7V8nN8KJ
— Bill Turnbull (@billtu) September 2, 2015
“There is some sadness, but no regrets, Turnbull told the Mirror on Tuesday. “I have been neglecting my bees for far too long. They are on a farm, they were going to come up here to the Lakes where we live but it was too windy.
“They are down in Buckinghamshire, I don’t see them very often but they don’t seem to mind. I haven’t been able to keep chickens for a few years, so all these things will take up time.”
Turnbull started at the programme as a reporter in 1988, before working as a BBC News correspondent. He came back to BBC Breakfast as its presenter in 2001. But, he said, in all of that time he has never got used to the early starts.
“You get hardened to it and I have done it thousands of times and it still never gets any easier. Doing that in combination with more than three hours of current affairs a day is tiring. There is no two ways about it.
“I have noticed the past few weeks I am waking up at 4.30am or 5am every single day when I am not on. Normally I get up at 3.30am. When the alarm doesn’t go off I still wake up at 4am or 5am, still early and that is because it is ingrained.
“My wife is consulted in all the big decisions and she is perfectly happy. We will manage to get rid of the 9.30pm curfew which will be nice. It will be fun.”
Turnbull’s colleagues paid tribute to him.
Really really going to miss my lovely wonderful friend @billtu xxx
— Carol Kirkwood (@carolkirkwood) September 2, 2015
Gutted. #welovebill https://t.co/nEIzRTX3f8
— Steph McGovern (@stephbreakfast) September 2, 2015
We will all miss him very much. https://t.co/jfaCRVErQm
— Louise Minchin (@louiseminchin) September 2, 2015
After 15 yrs of early starts - our @billtu has earned a lie in. But we will miss him. I know he pretends to be grumpy but he's really not ;)
— sally nugent (@sallynugent) September 2, 2015
Our @billtu is leaving #bbcbreakfast after 15 years next year @louiseminchin @stephbreakfast @sallynugent 😂 pic.twitter.com/3F4WD9QVkS
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 2, 2015
The programme’s editor Adam Bullimore said: “Bill is a huge part of the BBC Breakfast success story and will leave a big gap on the sofa when he leaves next year. He is massively popular with our viewers who love the way he is able to deliver serious news but also bring them a smile as they get up and get ready in the mornings.”
Turnbull gained a measure of notoriety earlier this year when he tripped over the word “clients” on air, accidentally turning it into an expletive spelled not dissimilarly.
He said he was not looking forward to his last day because it would be a “very emotional occasion”.
“I am already trying to work out an anti-blubbing defence because that would be really awful to spill tears. But I know it will be a big day,” he told the Mirror.
