Dan Walker has quit BBC Breakfast after six years.

The Strictly Come Dancing 2021 star and host of BBC Breakfast confirmed he is quitting the morning show for a brand new role in a social media announcement today.

Dan has been a presenter on BBC Breakfast for six years, after replacing Bill Turnbull in 2016. Upon announcing his departure from the BBC show, Dan revealed he was leaving for a brand new job at Channel 5.

Dan announced the news to fans with a video on Twitter. He captioned the post by saying, “Thank you for all your kind comments. Big decision for me to leave Breakfast but I’m really excited to join 5 News & Channel 5. It’s been a privilege to work with some amazing people at Breakfast and I’ve had such a happy 6 years there. See you back on the sofa tomorrow.”

In the video, Dan took a moment to explain his decision to leave, despite loving the show and his BBC team. He said, “Channel 5 came with big ambition, big plans and I don’t think big opportunities like this,  come around very often in TV and I can’t wait.”

He also added that hopefully, it wouldn’t be a “goodbye to the BBC” citing all the programs he has worked on previously, including Football Focus, which he left in 2021.

Dan also took a moment to express his gratitude for the “loyal and caring” BBC Breakfast audience and how weird it will be to no longer sit next to his presenting counterpart, Sally Nugent,

Credit: Getty

Fans were quick to comment on the news, one tweeted, “Thanks for the wonderful way you have presented the news to us each morning Dan.”

While another added, “Oh Dan I really enjoyed you on the sofa brought a new style of fun not stuffy down to earth I will miss you!” 

Dan ended his video by addressing his fans directly and said, despite looking forward to an occasional lie-in, “I will genuinely miss waking up with you every morning, so take care and I’ll hopefully see you soon!”