Dan Walker shares update after going ‘missing' from Channel 5 News and Classic FM gigs
Off Air Dan Walker shares update after going 'missing' from Channel 5 News and Classic FM gigs
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
DAN Walker has shared an update after going 'missing' from his Channel 5 News and Classic FM gigs.
Presenter Dan, 48, shared a video on Instagram following a wave of questions about his recent absence from screens and the airwaves.
Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter
Sign up
4
Dan Walker has shared an update after going 'missing' from his Channel 5 News and Classic FM gigs
Credit: Instagram/@mrdanwalker
Speaking from his car, he told fans: 'Hello, now I've been asked by quite a few people if I've left Channel 5 and why I've disappeared from Classic FM. The answer is twofold.'
Reassuring fans that he hasn't quit either job, Dan explained: 'The first is I'm on holiday with the family for a couple of weeks.
"And the second is that I'm filming a new series for Channel 5 which you'll be able to see I think in September, which I can't tell you too much about.
"But it's gonna be great fun. So that's why I've not been on the telly.'
Dan, who presents a Sunday afternoon show on Classic FM, added: 'I'll be back on the radio on Monday, and back on 5 News in a couple of weeks' time once I've finished filming this series.
"There you go. That's the answer.
'It looks like the lovely weather is over. The rain has returned. Have a great day.'
Dan joined Channel 5 in 2022 after six years fronting BBC Breakfast, where he replaced Bill Turnbull in 2016.
His first show aired on February 29 alongside Louise Minchin.
He later hit headlines when BBC pay disclosures revealed he was earning nearly double that of his female co-host - though Dan pointed out he was working across several programmes.
'We're BACK' say former BBC Breakfast stars as they reunite on set three years after quitting sending fans wild
Before joining Channel 5, the Sheffield-born broadcaster fronted Football Focus for over a decade, and also worked on Match of the Day, Final Score, and BBC Radio 5 Live.
He was a key part of the BBC Sport team during major events including the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Rio 2016 Olympics and Tokyo 2020.
In 2021, he swapped the newsroom for the ballroom, competing in Strictly Come Dancing with pro partner Nadiya Bychkova.
4
Dan presents a Sunday afternoon show on Classic FM
Credit: Instagram / @mrdanwalker
4
Dan joined Channel 5 in 2022 after six years fronting BBC Breakfast
Credit: Channel 5
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Jarvis Cocker records special version of the Shipping Forecast to celebrate its 100th anniversary on the BBC
Friday 4 July marks 100 years since the first broadcast of the Shipping Forecast on BBC radio on 4 July 1925. To mark the occasion, Jarvis Cocker has recorded a special shipping forecast to be broadcast for an audience at the Crossed Wires Podcast Festival in Sheffield. The festival will welcome 'ships' fans to a special 100th anniversary programme with Radio 4 announcers Lisa Costello and Viji Alles, hosted by Chris Mason. The session is part of BBC Sounds' free Fringe festival with live podcast recordings and exclusive sessions, open to the public. Just two days before Pulp, aka Patchwork, were wowing crowds with a surprise performance at Glastonbury, Cocker was quietly nestled in the BBC Radio 4 studio, reflecting on his love for the Shipping Forecast. Cocker says: 'The Shipping Forecast is something you absorb unconsciously if you live in the UK. It's been on the airwaves for over 100 years… Now technically speaking, it's a weather guide designed to help sailors on the high seas. But it helps people navigate in other ways than that. For instance, for insomniacs, it's a mantra that hopefully helps them drift finally off to sleep.' He says: 'I think it's known around the world as a go-to chill-out thing - before chill-out things were invented, probably.' The Shipping Forecast is preceded by a piece of music called Sailing By. Cocker notably chose this track as one of the eight he would take to a desert island when he appeared on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in 2005. Cocker says: 'When you listen to Sailing By, it really does feel like life is drifting past you in an extremely pleasant way. A handy go-to sedative to have to hand if you ever happen to become a castaway - or get cut off from normal life for any other reason.' Cocker used to listen whilst going to sleep, citing that 'the repetitive nature' and 'the soothing nature of the person who reads it' helped him to drop off. 'I think it's because it's a routine', he adds, 'it's on every day, so it's something that you can rely on. It's on at a set time, so it gives a bit of stability. And if the rest of your life isn't that stable, it can provide some kind of stability for it. Sailing By was a very relaxing piece of music... I know that a lot of people do use it for that kind of relaxing, almost 'meditation-like' thing.' When asked why he felt the Shipping Forecast was still important, he said: 'I think because even though sometimes it's talking about bad weather conditions and storms and stuff, it's actually an oasis of calm in the day. There's no musical backing to it, it's just a human voice talking to you. Some words, which you don't really know what they mean at all, but the sound of it is comforting and will put you into a nice place.' Cocker said some of his favourite place names include, German Bight – 'for some reason I always think of a cocktail sausage there. I suppose it's because a frankfurter cocktail sausage is a small frank.' - and Hebrides – 'I've actually been to the Hebrides, so that conjures up some kind of real image.' Imagining how the Shipping Forecast might sound in another 100 years, Cocker gave us his best robot impression, suggesting: 'It may be a robot who is saying 'north to northwesterly, occasionally poor.' I hope not. I think it would be better to keep it as a person. Who knows? We don't know what the world's going to look like in 100 years, or whether people will even be in it. If people are still in it, it might all be water. So everybody will be listening to it. It'd be like the number one programme, because everybody will be in a boat. Kevin Costner will be hailed as a seer who knew that we would all become a Water world one day. I don't know. I hope it is. I wouldn't be around to hear it anyway.' The Shipping Forecast is produced by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as part of the UK's statutory obligations to provide Maritime Safety Information to seafarers via approved broadcasting methods. The Shipping Forecast is also shared with the BBC for its own broadcast. An online journey through the one-hundred-year history of the Shipping Forecast can be found on the BBC History website. Special anniversary programmes from BBC Radio 4 are available now on BBC Sounds, including The Shipping Forecast: A Beginners Guide with Paddy O'Connell, The Shipping Postcards from continuity announcers, Archive on 4 – The Shipping Forecast at 100: Shipshaped and Soul Music: Sailing By. Listen to The Shipping Forecast on BBC Sounds Watch Pulp's set from Glastonbury on BBC iPlayer PS Follow for more
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Rod Stewart opens up on heartbreak with ex-wife Rachel that 'tore him to shreds'
Rod Stewart said Rachel Hunter left him because she was too young when they married Sir Rod Stewart has opened up about the heartbreak he endured following the end of his marriage to second wife Rachel Hunter. The 80-year-old rock legend, who first tied the knot with Alana Hamilton in 1979, reflected on the painful split and how it shaped the next chapter of his life, both personally and professionally, Mirror reports. Rod and Alana, the mother of his children Kimberly and Sean, divorced in 1984. Years later, he married New Zealand-born model Rachel Hunter, who was just 21 at the time, 26 years his junior. Rod was 45. The couple went on to have two children together: daughter Renee and son Liam. Despite their early whirlwind romance, the marriage didn't last. The couple separated in 1999, and their divorce was finalised in 2006. Rod has now revealed how devastated he was by the split, admitting, 'Rachel left me because she was too young. My sister said I should never have married her in the first place, but it tore me to shreds.' Interestingly, it was just a day after his separation from Rachel that Rod met his current wife, Penny Lancaster. Recalling their first meeting, he told The Times that she had asked for his autograph. He then asked her if she liked dancing. 'She was an incredible dancer, gorgeous, [and wearing] 6ft 4in heels,' he said fondly, describing the moment with clear affection. However, the rocker was advised not to rush into anything serious so soon. 'There were six months between Rachel and Penny because my bass player, who had Penny's number, wouldn't give it to me,' he revealed. 'He said, 'All you're going to do now is s**g around.' And he was right, I had a splendid time in those six months.' Rod eventually reconnected with Penny, and the two tied the knot in 2007. They now share two sons, Alastair, 19, and Aiden, 14. Describing his wife of 18 years, Rod said she's 'got everything' he has ever wanted in a partner, and that their relationship has grown stronger with time. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Their marriage remains strong, with Penny regularly supporting Rod at major events and appearances. Most recently, she was there by his side at Glastonbury as he performed the coveted legends slot on the Pyramid Stage. Their sons were also there to cheer him on, along with Renee and Ruby, Rod's daughter from his relationship with model Kelly Emberg. The couple also marked their 18th wedding anniversary with a lavish trip aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The journey retraced the romantic milestones of their relationship, from Rod's proposal in Paris, to their wedding in Portofino, and the honeymoon that followed aboard a luxury yacht along the Italian coast, celebrating a love that has endured.
Metro
9 hours ago
- Metro
The Blind Date reboot already sounds like it's trying too hard
Even in a crowded field of TV dating shows, I was initially elated to hear Blind Date was returning to screens 22 years after Cilla Black said her final 'ta-ra'. Paul O'Grady briefly revived the classic dating show for two series in 2017 on Channel 5, but it never managed to set the stars alight and remains a largely forgotten jewel in his showbiz crown. Because it was Cilla's version that captured the zeitgeist of dating shows in the 90s and early 00s. Her enthusiasm and unbridled camp was totally mesmerising to me. Teamed with family-friendly sass from 'our Graham' and a format of one singleton picking a date from a panel of three strangers hiding behind a wall that never got tired, I loved Blind Date more than I've ever loved any of the countless dating shows that followed. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Once a date had been chosen, they'd be whisked away to a holiday selected by producers, which ranged from two days basking in golden sands and luxury in Antigua to hiking in Bognor Regis. Now, Disney+ has confirmed its Blind Date reboot. I was originally ecstatic, until I realised it actually sounds nothing at all like the original. In an announcement on Monday, the streaming service said: 'The new series will begin in a secret location, where contestants must choose between three potential suitors, hidden from view behind the legendary Blind Date wall.' So far so good. 'With a host of unique, innovative and head-turning format twists, our daters will see if forever love can truly grow as they spend the summer living together but potential new partners are always lurking behind the wall…' That might sound good – but it doesn't sound like Blind Date. Essentially it's Married At First Sight on an island, which sounds like a carbon copy of Davina McCall's upcoming BBC dating show, Stranded on Honeymoon Island. Maya Jama is also rumoured to be presenting — which presumably means she's leaving Love Island to front… almost exactly the same show but with a Disney budget and paycheck. But who's it for ? Everything about its new format sounds unoriginal and unappealing to the fans who care. Disney's pitch does little to set Blind Date 2026 apart from the 1,000 other dating shows cluttering up streaming. And with Love is Blind UK and Married at First Sight particularly at the top of their game, I'm struggling to see what the new Blind Date can bring to an already crowded market. Except, of course, its heritage as 'the most successful dating show of all time.' Which makes you wonder why, if it was so loved, Disney is bothering to tinker with the format at all. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video It certainly doesn't seem like the new version of the show will feature the studio audience who were such a big part of the original's success. Who can forget their oohs and ahhs at the latest cheesy chat up line, or their gasps when Cilla exposed one contestant with the immortal line 'she's a journalist, ladies and gentleman'? Granted, by the time Cilla's Blind Date ended, its one viewership of sometimes 18million viewers dwindled to around 5million by 2003; people had grown tired of Blind Date. Pop Idol and then The X Factor completely changed the scale of Saturday night television and suddenly Cilla's kitsch studio with a makeshift sliding wall didn't cut it compared to the blockbuster budgets Simon Cowell was throwing at finding the next great popstar. Two decades later though, big money TV has become strangely tired. There's a glaring gap for Blind Date's simplicity on Saturday nights. Plonk it just before or after Strictly and you've got an unbeatable combo of easy television for the whole family. It's relatively gentle approach would also be in contrast to the last primetime Saturday evening dating show – Take Me Out – which was comparatively brutal with its loud 'lights-off' rejection. Dating shows today feel exclusively for young audiences. At 37, even I feel way too old to watch Love Island and while Love Is Blind UK was surprisingly excellent, it's still sexy and young(ish). So much of Blind Date's charm wasn't remotely sexy. And if it did need to be modernised, why not look to First Dates instead of Love Island and MAFS? After 12 years, the show is as wonderful and beloved as ever — proof that simplicity works. Its ability to show that anyone can find love, no matter their story or insecurity, gets me right in the gut every time. Blind Date could be First Dates with a bigger budget, in a bigger slot, for a bigger audience. Saturday night TV is in desperate need of something like that. More Trending I wouldn't have bet on Blind Date being relevant again — but look at the success of Gladiators. That era of 90s Saturday-night telly was never bettered, and it's still drawing in new generations now. But crucially, the format has barely changed. This feels like such a missed opportunity for Blind Date; to instead churn out another deeply unoriginal dating show. View More » Disney+ can still change course and bring us the old-school Blind Date we need. And that would be a nice surprise surprise. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: It's a shame Mary Earps isn't here to help Hannah Hampton but England can trust in Sarina Wiegman MORE: I hate primary school – I can't wait for my daughter's last day MORE: TV fans can now binge all 6 episodes of 'thrilling' action series
