BBC Breakfast hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay offered warm tributes to their colleague Emma Vardy as she announced her departure for maternity leave during a recent broadcast.

On-Air Farewell

During Sunday’s edition of BBC Breakfast, Emma Vardy shared that she was stepping away for several months to welcome her baby. As the show wrapped up, she stated, “Right, well, that’s nearly it for us today. And my last show before mat leave! Bye.”

Co-host Roger Marshall responded supportively, saying, “Enjoy, good luck!” Emma reassured viewers of her return, adding, “I’ll be back – see you.”

Social Media Reflections

After the live announcement, Emma posted highlights from her time on the program on Instagram, accompanied by a touching message: “Last show done for a while, maternity leave starts here, see you all in a few months!! With Roger hoping we made it through breakfast this morning without any early arrivals (we did).”

She continued, “There is previous precedent of breakfast presenters going into labour!! Had a lovely last week at work, now the fun starts.”

Messages of Support

Emma received an outpouring of encouragement online, starting with messages from her BBC Breakfast teammates. Sally Nugent wrote, “Phew! Been waiting for that call. Loads of luck xx.”

Jon Kay added, “Yay! Now you can put your feet up, rest and relax….? Oh. Not really. Sending you all best wishes for your next big story. Good luck and enjoy the family adventure ahead xxx.”

Viewers also expressed their well-wishes. One fan noted, “We’ve been watching over the last weeks wondering if you would still be there! The neatest bump I ever did see!” Another said, “Good luck, Emma, on your new member of your family! Looking forward to seeing you on TV again soon.” A third commented, “Good luck, Emma. Hope all goes well. Can’t wait to see you back on the sofa.”

BBC Breakfast broadcasts weekdays at 6 a.m. on BBC One.