BBC One's flagship evening programme The One Show faced unexpected drama behind the scenes on Monday when co-host Jermaine Jenas was forced to pull out at the eleventh hour due to illness.
Regular presenter Alex Jones found herself needing emergency backup just moments before the live broadcast was due to begin. Fortunately, fellow BBC favourite Gethin Jones stepped in to save the day, joining Alex on the famous red sofa with barely any time to prepare.
The Welsh presenter addressed the sudden change at the beginning of the show, telling viewers: "Now as you can see, there's been a slight change of plan on the sofa tonight. Jermaine is unfortunately poorly, so we've called in the cavalry!"
She warmly welcomed her replacement co-host, adding: "Gethin, thank you for stepping in." The emergency presenter appeared relaxed despite the last-minute call-up, joking: "It's fine, I was just in the area!"
The unexpected presenter pairing handled the live broadcast seamlessly, interviewing guests including comedian Rob Delaney and showcasing a segment about the upcoming 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Viewers quickly took to social media to praise both presenters for their professionalism in handling the unexpected situation. Many commented on how well the two presenters worked together despite the lack of preparation time.
This isn't the first time The One Show has faced last-minute presenter changes. The nature of live television means production teams must always be prepared for unexpected circumstances, though such late substitutions remain relatively rare for the popular BBC programme.
Both Alex Jones and Gethin Jones are experienced presenters who have frequently hosted the show, making them well-equipped to handle such unexpected changes to the presenting lineup.
