Rachel Burden has announced her departure from BBC Breakfast after 11 years, with her final appearance on Sunday ahead of significant schedule changes at the morning news programme. Burden, 51, shared the news on Instagram, posting behind-the-scenes photos and thanking the team, her co-presenters, and viewers for their support.
Burden's Final Show and Thanks to Colleagues
In her Instagram post on Sunday, Burden wrote: “This is my last Sunday on the @bbcbreakfast sofa before the schedule changes in September – no complaints there, we have to cut our cloth.” She expressed gratitude to the production team who worked through Saturday nights, her co-hosts Roger Johnson and Ben Thompson, and makeup artist Poppy Fields. She jokingly added, “Here’s to a guaranteed Sunday lie-in.”
Background and Career at BBC
Burden, the daughter of a BBC journalist, began her career in BBC local radio before joining Radio 5 Live in 2003. She started hosting the station's weekday breakfast show in 2011, a role she continues to hold. She joined BBC Breakfast as a relief presenter in 2015, often appearing on Sunday editions alongside the main presenting team of Sally Nugent, Jon Kay, Charlie Stayt, and Naga Munchetty.
Impact of BBC Cuts on Sunday Show
Burden's exit comes one month after the BBC announced that BBC Breakfast would no longer air on Sundays as part of cost-saving measures under new director general Matt Brittin. From September, the Sunday show will be replaced by the BBC News Channel. The BBC also cancelled six other news shows, including Money Box Live and The World Tonight. In an email to staff, Brittin said the required savings would demand “tough choices, careful work and won’t all be ready at once.”
Future Plans
Despite leaving BBC Breakfast, Burden will continue as the host of Radio 5 Live's weekday breakfast show, maintaining her long-standing role at the station.
