BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty announced the death of former Conservative MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe, who passed away at the age of 78. The announcement came during the morning news programme, but viewers expressed dissatisfaction over the timing of the bulletin.
Announcement Details
Munchetty read the bulletin as part of the rolling news coverage, stating: “Former Conservative MP and MEP, Ann Widdecombe, has died at the age of 78. She served as a Conservative MP for 23 years, before joining the Brexit Party and then Reform UK. Our political correspondent Helen Catt takes a look back at her life.” The programme then handed over to Catt for a tribute.
Tribute by Helen Catt
Catt described Widdecombe as “an outspoken, fiercely passionate politician with a self-confessed taste for public performance, both in politics and beyond.” She detailed Widdecombe’s early life, born in Bath in 1947 and spending part of her childhood in Singapore, as well as her first experience of televised public debate as a student at Oxford.
According to Catt, “It took Ann Widdecombe 15 years and three attempts to become an MP, including losing in 1983 to the co-founder of the Social Democratic Party, David Owen.” The tribute also covered Widdecombe’s controversies, her stint on Strictly Come Dancing, and concluded: “Uncompromising, unflinching, Ann Widdecombe was a conviction politician with a knack for a colourful performance.”
Viewer Criticism
Despite the news breaking at 5:17am, BBC Breakfast did not mention Widdecombe’s death until an hour into the programme. Viewers took to social media to voice their frustration. One tweeted: “BBC Breakfast only just mentioned it. More interested in the Bayeaux Tapestry!” Another said: “Weird that they didn't mention this for like the first hour of the show…” The delay in reporting left many fans unhappy with the programme's handling of the announcement.
