BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt absent from show amid new personal chapter

BBC Breakfast star Charlie Stayt was missing from his usual place on the red sofa on Thursday. The journalist usually hosts the show alongside Naga Munchetty from Thursday to Saturday but was replaced by weekend presenter Roger Johnson, who regularly steps in when the main hosts are off.

Charlie’s absence comes just a day after the broadcaster marked a new chapter as he turned 62. Since Charlie likes to keep his personal life private and keeps off of social media, we don’t know how exactly the presenter marked the special occasion. Although, we’ve no doubt the star celebrated with his wife Anne, and their two children, Jake and Phoebe.

It’s thought that Charlie and Anne, who wed in 1995, live in Twickenham, despite the BBC Breakfast studio’s relocation from London to Salford in Manchester in 2012.

The pair recently made headlines after it was reported that they are facing bankruptcy and have been served with a notice from HMRC.

According to a report by The Sun, the couple have found themselves £6,409 in debt after filing their company’s accounts in December. Charlie and Anne are both listed as directors for Stayt Accounts, a TV and broadcasting firm.

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The BBC has declined to comment on the reports, saying that they are a “personal matter” for the journalist.

Charlie has been a regular fixture on the BBC since joining Breakfast back in 2006. While he started as a relief presenter, Charlie was soon promoted to Friday to Sunday host before eventually becoming a weekend presenter in 2008.

In 2014, Naga joined Charlie in the line-up of main presenters and the pair often poke fun at each other during their shows, with viewers often praising their banter.

Naga commented on their on-screen chemistry back in 2020 when responding to a social media post from House of Games host Richard Osman that read: “Like all great TV couples, I think Charlie and Naga have a special form of telepathy. The sort of telepathy where you whisper answers to each other.”

Confirming Richard’s theory, Naga replied “YES,” alongside three laughing face emojis.

Both Charlie and Naga have early wake-up calls for when they’re hosting the show. Sharing his morning routine in a previous interview with RadioTimes.com, Charlie said: “I refuse to snooze. As soon as the alarm goes off, I am up. The other thing is, I embrace the siesta. It’s become a big thing for me. I sort of sit down in the afternoon and consciously do nothing. No snooze and have a siesta, that’s the formula.”