BBC Breakfast weather presenter Elizabeth Rizzini has been a familiar face on screens since 2011, but her long-term partner is another well-known BBC figure: security correspondent Frank Gardiner.
Long-Term Relationship Since 2019
The couple have been together since 2019, following Frank's divorce from Amanda Jane Pearson. While they each have two children from previous relationships, they do not share any together.
Frank, a BBC Security Correspondent and author, was shot six times in 2004 while reporting in Saudi Arabia with cameraman Simon Cumbers. The attack left him partially paralysed and he now uses a wheelchair. Tragically, Simon died at the scene.
Rare Glimpses and First Meeting
Although the pair keep their relationship private, they occasionally share glimpses on social media, including photos from Wimbledon and holidays abroad. In 2020, Frank told the Mail on Sunday that they first met in a lift at work, admitting he 'always admired' her on camera, praised her as 'wonderful company', and said it was 'like having a first girlfriend'.
Elizabeth has spoken about the challenges Frank faces at work, particularly regarding accessibility. She told the Express: "Things aren't always accessible. I think the biggest illustration of that is actually the BBC lift. That was really quite powerful. I'm worried it upset a few people."
Celebrity Mastermind Appearance
BBC viewers may have spotted Elizabeth on Celebrity Mastermind last year, where her specialist subject was singer Celine Dion. She competed to raise funds for Hospice in the Weald and the Back-Up Trust, charities close to her heart after her cousin Jo died in 2021 and received hospice care at home. Elizabeth won her episode, generating crucial funds for the charities.
BBC Breakfast airs on BBC One from 6am.
