Vernon Kay has suggested that he and Sara Cox might need to adjust their Bolton accents now that Cox has officially taken over as the new host of BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show. The first programme aired on Monday, July 6, with Cox at the helm.
Shared Bolton Roots Spark Accent Joke
During his BBC Radio 2 mid-morning slot last week, Vernon was joined by Sara as she chose the 10 songs that have shaped her life in preparation for launching her new Breakfast Show. Discussing their shared roots, Vernon highlighted that while both hail from Bolton, they grew up on different sides of the town.
He said: "Sara will be handing over to myself, so we go from Bolton to Bolton. And it's quite interesting because Sara lived at one end of Bolton and I lived at the other end of Bolton. She was on the east, I was on the west side of Bolton."
"I think we might have to change our accents to make sure that it's not double Bolton on a weekday morning. 'Hiya love, you alright?' That's the greeting that I get every time I see my Auntie Dory and my Auntie Lillian, 'Hiya love'. You wouldn't change it for the world," he added.
Sara Cox Reflects on Career Journey
Throughout the programme, Sara discussed growing up on her father's farm in Bolton, reminiscing about her childhood before touching on her early modelling work, which saw her travel to South Korea after being discovered in Paris. The 51-year-old also looked back on securing her breakthrough presenting job on Channel 4's The Girlie Show, fronting the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show, interviewing Missy Elliott, sharing a meal with Eminem, and the tracks she links with her husband Ben and their children.
Debut Show Highlights
Sara officially began her role as BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show host on Monday, July 6, launching her debut programme with Lizzo's "About Damn Time" before marking England's 3-2 World Cup triumph over Mexico by playing "Three Lions." She also reached out to listeners for encouragement as she adjusted to her new position.
"It is a Monday. It's my first show, and your favourite DJ, me feeling little bit clingy, as per, and I want some love," she said.
The broadcaster also recounted an anecdote about her husband, Ben Cyzer, whose efforts to avoid discovering England's result before watching the match highlights were scuppered by jubilant fans outside their house.
Thanking Gary Davies
Sara also took time to thank Gary Davies for presenting the breakfast slot in recent months following Scott Mills' exit. She said: "For the past few months, a legend has been doing breakfast, and we can't not say thank you to him this morning. He was parachuted in. He did a proper shift. The one, the only, you love him, Mr Gary Davies."
Permanent Role and Fundraising
Sara was announced as the permanent host of Radio 2's weekday Breakfast Show in April, having previously hosted the station's weekday teatime slot. Last year, she also completed a 135-mile challenge across five days, raising £11.7 million for Children in Need.
