Charlie Stayt was nowhere to be seen on this Saturday’s instalment of BBC Breakfast as he was replaced by Ben Thompson at the last minute.

The broadcaster has been the breakfast show’s weekend presenter from Thursday to Saturday since 2008, going over the day’s headlines alongside co-star Naga Munchetty, who joined the program in 2014.

However, Ben was the one to kick off this Saturday’s instalment as he gave a rundown of all the controversies surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest.

Burnley presenter Ben has been a part of the BBC Breakfast family since 2012, with a career spanning over two decades, and he regularly picks up his hosting duties at the weekend when the show’s main stars are off the air. He is also known for co-hosting BBC’s business program Business Live.

BBC Breakfast
Naga Munchetty usually fronts BBC Breakfast alongside Charlie Stayt during the weekends but he was replaced at the last minute by show regular Ben Thompson

No explanation has been giving for Charlie’s latest absence and the Daily Mirror has reached to his representatives for comment. News of his absence comes after his co-star Naga Munchetty gave a devastating health update as she opened about the pressure of hiding the “constant, nagging pain” triggered by her adenomyosis.

Naga was first diagnosed with the condition, which is characterised by the lining of the uterus invading the womb’s muscle, in 2022. Adenomyosis can trigger an array of uncomfortable symptoms from pelvic pain to heavy bleeding during menstrual cycles.

Speaking to Metro about her condition last month, Naga said: “I have done all my life: through my GCSEs, through my A-Levels, through my degree, and every job I had. No one wants to be seen as weak. I don’t think that now.”

Despite receiving the correct treatment, she also expressed her concern over the impact her condition could have on her job – a thought which almost encouraged her to quit altogether.

“It’s much more manageable and because I’ve spoken so publicly about it if I really am struggling, I can say ‘I’m struggling’, and I know the people I need to say that to will recognise that I only say it when I really am. I don’t worry about being seen as someone who is using it as an excuse to not work.”

This isn’t the first time Charlie has missed out on hosting BBC Breakfast. Earlier this year, in late March, 2024, viewers were expecting to see him reunite with Naga after he’d been absent from the show earlier in the week but his unexplained absence continued into the weekend.

Charlie had then been replaced by Roger Johnson while it was believed he’d taken time off to enjoy his Easter break, although this wasn’t confirmed. But prior to his absence, viewers of the flagship program speculated he could have grown “bored” of his job.

“You can always tell when Charlie is bored with a topic when he does his long slow sniff before moving on”, one of them had penned a week earlier. Another added at the time: “Charlie having none of it this morning.”