BBC Breakfast honoured Dolly Parton with tributes on the programme, minutes into Wednesday's show, after the legendary country singer died at the age of 80 following a “brief battle with cancer”.
Her family announced the news of the Jolene singer’s death on social media, with her nephew sharing in a video: "Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly." He added: "Dolly lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely."
Tributes from fans and celebrities
Following the news, tributes from fans and celebrities alike have been paid, including Taylor Swift and Elton John. BBC Breakfast opened Wednesday's show by honouring Dolly’s legacy.
Hosted by Sally Nugent and Ben Thompson on Wednesday, August 26, minutes into the show, as they read the headline, they paid tribute to Dolly. Sally said: “The world remembers country star Dolly Parton, who has died after what her team described as a brief battle with cancer.”
Emotional scenes in Nashville
A reporter in North America then said, “Emotional tributes here in Nashville as fans remember the Queen of country and the lives she touched beyond her music.” Ben added, “Celebrities from Taylor Swift to Paul McCartney have paid tribute as fans gather to lay flowers.”
Among the headlines, fans were heard calling the news “heartbreaking and sad” and remembering Dolly as “very inspiring and the light in a dark world”.
As the main programme then began, Ben shared: “American flags are flying at half mast across the US this morning to mark the death of the country legend, Dolly Parton. She died in Nashville at the age of 80, after what her publicist says was a brief battle with cancer.”
Stars remember Dolly's legacy
Sally continued: “Many of the world’s biggest music stars have been paying tribute. Elton John described her as a giant of an artist, Paul McCartney said she was unrivalled in the world of music. Taylor Swift said, a world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible.”
BBC Breakfast continued to honour Dolly with a clip looking back at her life and career. In it, her nephew’s social media video announcing her death was played, as well as clips of fans paying tribute.
The reporter said: “Flowers, tributes, flags across America are being lowered in honour of Dolly Parton. In a statement, President Trump said, ‘There has never been anyone like her’.”
The clip also heard from Dolly herself, in old interviews where she remembered growing up, saying: “My folks were just simple, poor, mountain people. We lived on a farm, I’m from a family of 12 children and I think being the fourth one down I didn’t get paid a lot of attention, I was the kind of kid that needed a lot of attention.”
Her voice continued: “I was just about 10 then, and I sang my song, and they kept bringing me back, wanting me to sing it. I remember looking up at my uncle and saying, ‘I’m going to be a star’.”
BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
