Dan Walker Insists Money Was Not The Reason He Quit BBC Breakfast To Join Channel 5 News

Dan Walker has insisted that money wasn’t behind his decision to quit the BBC to join rival Channel 5.

On Monday, the presenter announced he was leaving his presenting role on BBC Breakfast to become part of the team at 5 News, where he’ll serve as lead anchor of the recently re-launched hour-long 5pm bulletin.

Discussing his move on Tuesday’s edition of BBC Breakfast with co-host Sally Nugent, the 45-year-old said it was “probably the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my career” but money wasn’t the motivating factor.

“I think sometimes opportunities come along and you have to grab them, don’t you?” he said.

“And I’ve never ever been motivated by money in any job that I’ve ever taken, and even though I love BBC Breakfast, everybody that works on the show, this is a fantastic opportunity to work with a brilliant team at Channel 5 and also go and make some other programmes outside of news.”

The 2020/2021 annual report for the BBC listed the presenter’s salary as being between £295,000-£299,999, with programme commitments listed as Football Focus, which he has since left, and also BBC Breakfast programmes.

Details of his new salary have not been disclosed.

Responding to Sally’s comment that they had been friends for 20 years but only worked on BBC Breakfast together for six months, Dan said: “This has been a really difficult decision for me.

“Probably the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my career, because I love you to bits and I really love working with you, and thank you, and I love the team at BBC Breakfast, and the six years I’ve had on this sofa have been the best six years of my career by some distance.”

Dan’s new remit will see him presenting the recently re-launched flagship news bulletin 5 News, as well as “fronting a range of new programming on the channel”, Channel 5 said.

The presenter is the latest high-profile BBC star to leave the BBC.

In February, Emily Maitlis announced she was quitting the Beeb after 20 years. The Newsnight presenter has joined the Global radio family to host a new daily podcast with fellow BBC journalist Jon Sopel, who also departed the corporation.