Dan Walker has announced he will be leaving BBC Breakfast to go to rival station Channel 5.
The presenter joins other well-known BBC faces leaving.
Dan replaced the trusty Breakfast presenting of Bill Turnbull and will now step into the shoes of Sian Willams on Channel 5, who is leaving her own position.
The BBC is facing some of its best presenters leaving, as Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel have already announced they are leaving to host a new podcast and radio show on LBC.
Andrew Marr also announced he was leaving in November 2021 in order to get his "own voice back".
Dan has become a well-known face on the BBC over the years, presenting Breakfast, Football Focus and participating in the most recent series of Strictly Come Dancing, finishing fifth with partner Nadiya Bychkova.
To his BBC fans, Dan said: "Thank you for watching and I'll see you soon on a TV screen somewhere."
Why is Dan Walker leaving BBC Breakfast?
Dan Walker said he is leaving BBC Breakfast in a "massive decision" to go to Channel 5, saying "I don't think opportunities like this come around very often."
"I'm really excited but this has also been a massive decision for me because I love BBC Breakfast, I love working alongside Sally [Nugent] and I love the team there."
The presenter explained that his new employer approached him with "big ambitions" in a bid to try and compete with their rivals.
He said: "Channel 5 came with big ambitions, with big plans and I don't think opportunities like this come around very often and I can't wait.
"And what an honour to step into the shoes of Sian Williams. I know how popular she is with both the team and also the audience, so all I can say is I will do my best to maintain her incredibly high standards."
When is Dan Walker leaving BBC Breakfast?
With the BBC for 13 years, Dan announced he will be leaving to join Channel 5 "in the next few weeks", though no exact date has yet been announced.
Dan said on Breakfast: "And I love the team at BBC Breakfast. These six years I've had on this sofa have been the best six years of my career by some distance.
"But I think sometimes opportunities come by and you have to grab them, don't you?"
He has presented BBC Breakfast Breakfast since 2016 and joined the corporation in 2009. Dan has also hosted Match Of The Day and shows on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Dan Walker's most memorable moments on BBC Breakfast
Dan has had some memorable moments on BBC Breakfast since 2016, including emotional tributes and awkward interviews.
Here are some of the most memorable.
Dan Walker flypast for Tony Foulds
Dan Walker has had some memorable moments on the BBC's flagship morning show.
One of Dan's best moments on the show included organising a flypast for his fellow Sheffield resident.
In 1944, a US bomber came down and crashed in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, killing all of the crew.
Its memorial was tended to by Tony Foulds, who saw the aricraft Mi Amigo crash when he was just eight years old.
Dan campaigned to get Tony a flypast, which eventually took place on the 75th anniversary in 2019.
Witnessed by thousands, Tony himself and family members of the crew killed, the flypast consisted of both British and American aircraft.
Tony, who believes the crew crashed while trying to avoid a group of children, said: "If it hadn't been for them, I wouldn't be here with my family.
"It's more than bravery, what they did. They saved me, and I mean saved me.
"These are now part of my family, my ashes are going to be put by the memorial. I might as well stay with them, you know."
Louis Tomlinson interview
Life hasn't always been easy for Dan on the show, having to deal with death threats after some of former One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson's fans took issue with Dan's questioning.
When Dan asked about his relationship with former bandmate Zayn Malik, Louis responded: "God, you’re proper going in here today aren’t you?"
Dan revealed he was sent five online death threats in February 2020 as a result of the interview.
Strictly partner didn't know who he was
After Dan returned from his fifth-place finish on Strictly Come Dancing, partner Nadiya Bychkova admitted she did not know who he was before they were paired up.
In response to Sally Nugent's question about if she knew who he was, Nadiya replied: "No, not really. Obviously, I did my homework and [found out] he was a presenter on BBC Breakfast."
Of their time on the show, she said: "He loves performing and I am so glad that I got to show him that dancing is something he could perform as well, it was just beautiful to watch him grow in confidence."
