Sally Nugent has been a shining star on BBC Breakfast for over ten years, securing a permanent hosting role alongside Dan Walker on the popular show from 2021.
Her big break came when Louise Minchin decided to step down after a whopping 20 years of presenting, leaving the position open for new talent. Given her extensive experience on the show, Sally was the clear and successful choice.
Before settling into her spot on the red sofa next to Dan, Sally often stepped in to help with hosting duties when other stars were away or on leave.
She also regularly appeared on the programme to deliver sports updates alongside Mike Bushell.
Fast forward four years, and she's no longer the newcomer, having welcomed a new co-host when Dan announced his departure from the show in 2022 after landing a dream job on Channel 5, reports Bristol Live.
Jon Kay now joins Sally on Monday and Wednesday mornings, and the duo certainly share plenty of on-screen laughs. While we know much about her professional life, her personal life remains largely private.
Rise to Stardom
Born near Liverpool on the Wirral in 1971, Sally had a strong interest in media and studied Arts in Communication and French at the University of Huddersfield, graduating with a Bachelor's degree.
After completing her studies, she secured her first job with BBC Radio Merseyside before shifting her focus to news reading and delivering sports on BBC North West Tonight.
Sally later moved on to new pastures, joining BBC News to continue her sports reporting. Her time on BBC Breakfast began in 2011, and she remains a fixture on the show to this day.
Life away from the spotlight and rarely seen son
From the television cameras, Sally dedicates herself to being a mum to her teenage son. Although the presenter occasionally mentions him, she remains tight-lipped about sharing details about him.
Sally has chosen not to disclose her son's name and age or share photographs of them on her social media profiles. Despite his anonymity, it's understood that he's now a teenager and is following in his mother's footsteps in the world of sports.
In a previous interview with The Sunday Times, Sally offered an insight into her daily home life: "My alarm goes off at 3.45 a.m. I don't have a loud, scary one that gives you a coronary. I use a light box that gently wakes me. I have a backup phone alarm set every five minutes from 3.50 a.m."
Marriage breakdown
Although Sally keeps her personal life closely guarded, the end of her 13-year marriage to Gavin Hawthorn in 2023 was publicly reported.
While the TV presenter has never spoken publicly about the reasons behind the end of her marriage, it was reported that the pair parted ways "amicably" after growing apart over time. According to the Daily Mail at the time, a source disclosed: "It's very sad, but they are no longer together, I think they tried to tough it out for quite a while as they didn't want to split up if they could possibly help it for the sake of their son, but they clearly couldn't make a go of it."
The split reportedly left Sally heartbroken, and her former partner Gavin packed his bags and left their plush £1.4 million pad in Cheshire.
Romance rumours
Like several of her colleagues, Sally was the subject of Twitter whispers in 2020, suggesting a romance with co-host Dan Walker.
While BBC stars typically ignore the online hecklers, one snide remark got under Dan's skin. The married presenter wasn't having any of it and decided to take a stand against the insinuations about him and Sally, who was still wedded at the time.
He hit back at the tweeter: "'That bird' is my friend @sallynugent, and she is happily married [at the time]. What a pathetic thing to tweet. I hope you treat that young girl in your Twitter banner photo with a bit more respect."
Festive Footwork
2023 saw Sally Nugent facing personal upheavals, but on a brighter note, she laced up her dancing shoes for the Yuletide edition of Strictly Come Dancing.
She graced the stage alongside professional dancer Graziano Di Prima for the Christmas Special, which was broadcast on Christmas Day.
Sally faced off against Rugby star Danny Cipriani, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, Sugababes vocalist Keisha Buchanan, historian Dan Snow, and children's TV host Tillie Amartey.
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