Big Breakfast hosts now – deaths, 'sexiest woman in the world' and full-frontal nudity

The Big Breakfast proved a massive hit with Channel 4 fans when it first aired in September 1992.

The iconic morning programme ran until 2002, airing more than 2,400 episodes in its lengthy run, and became known for its trademark house on Fish Island in East London.

A mix of news, weather, interviews and competitions, The Big Breakfast provided a more lighthearted feel than its competitors GMTV and BBC Breakfast.

And a whole host of famous faces stepped up to present the show – including Chris Evans, Denise Van Outen, Zoe Ball and Paul O’Grady.

But where are they all now? To commemorate an incredible 20 years since the programme was taken off-air, Daily Star takes a look.

Zoe Ball

Since appearing as a Big Breakfast host, Zoe has only gone from strength to strength.

She landed the role of host for Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two, a role she retained until 2021, and went on to become the presenter for The Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2019.

It hasn’t all been fun and games, however, as Zoe tragically lost her stepdad Rick to Motor Neurone Disease.

The star was chatting to Gabby Logan on her radio show about the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards when it came up, explaining: “Hopefully one day we will find a cure.

“It’s a real special day in my family today. We lost our stepdad Rick to Motor Neurone Disease on this day, quite a few years back now.”

She added: “It’s one of those days where you just think about them.

“We think about him every day, so obviously this is something pretty close to my heart.”

Denise Van Outen

Famous face Denise Van Outen is well known for her work across television – including placing runner-up on the tenth series of Strictly Come Dancing.

But when Denise attempted to display those same moves on the ice for ITV show Dancing on Ice, she found herself in a world of pain after slipping and breaking her shoulder.

She sustained numerous fractures in the bone and was forced to withdraw from the show – and admitted she was still in pain a year later in October 2021.

The star went on to work with a physiotherapist in the hopes of regaining movement in the arm and easing the pain, admitting she was diagnosed with bicep tendinopathy.

Away from her professional life, Denise has experienced her fair share of tragedy. She recently split from her partner Eddie Boxshall after discovering that her “disrespectful” ex had cheated on her for three years.

The 47-year-old presenter caught her partner flirting sexually with three different women, explaining in her new autobiography: “Among photos was a screenshot […] of a woman’s breasts – and they definitely weren’t mine!”

Elsewhere in her new book, Denise revealed that she was involved in a hellish sex tape experience when she was just 15 – as her older boyfriend filmed her losing her virginity.

She told The Sun: “I’d never been ready before – but now I talk about a situation when I was 15 when an older guy who I actually lost my virginity to filmed us having sex without me knowing.

“He was older than me, and it was very traumatic afterwards. He knew my age, and he was 23, and he’d set up a dodgy camcorder in his bedroom without me knowing.”

Kelly Brook

Model Kelly Brook also made her mark on The Big Breakfast – but that isn’t all she is known for.

The star was crowned FHM’s Sexiest Woman in the World in 2005, and appeared in every FHM 100 Sexiest countdown from 1998 until 2015.

As well as being known for her role in the US sitcom One Big Happy, Kelly has appeared on everything from Strictly Come Dancing to The Masked Dancer.

And she certainly isn’t afraid to strip off for her fans, either, as she went topless for an incredible calendar shoot in 2016.

The star donned a pair of black lace knickers and tugged a white sheet up to cover her chest as she posed nearly naked on a bed, her brunette tresses billowing out around her on the pillow.

In 2018, Kelly underwent a weight loss transformation and claimed that dropping two dress sizes boosted her sex life.

She told Fabulous Digital: “I’m randy as anything, it’s boosted my sex life.

“I think when you lose weight you definitely do want to have more sex.

“It’s about body confidence, you’ve got more energy, you just feel so much better. It’s nice.”

Paula Yates

Among the gaggle of presenters was TV star – and daughter of an erotic novelist – Paula Yates.

In the 70s, Paula began a relationship with Bob Geldof after meeting him in the early days of his band The Boomtown Rats – they married in 1986 and went on to welcome daughters Fifi, Peaches and Pixie, before divorcing in 1996.

It emerged Paula had an affair with INXS singer Michael Hutchence before she split from Bob, and went on to welcome another daughter, Tiger.

Tragedy struck shortly after, as Michael was found hanged in his hotel room in Sydney – as Paula claimed he was “frightened and couldn’t stand a minute more without his baby”.

Her later life was marred by this tragedy, after finding out that the man she thought was her father wasn’t actually biologically related to her.

Bob Geldof won custody of their three daughters in 1998 after Paula attempted suicide, and Paula later died in 2000 – on Pixie’s 10th birthday – of a heroin overdose.

Paula’s daughter Peaches would go on to follow in her late mum’s footsteps, dying aged just 25 from a heroin overdose just a day after posting a picture with her mum to her Instagram page.

Keith Chegwin

Sadly, Paula isn’t the only Big Breakfast presenter to have died in the years since the show ended.

Keith Chegwin passed away in 2017 from lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis – but not after leaving a indelible mark on the TV industry.

Fans will likely remember his iconic stint as a presenter for Channel 5’s nudist game show Naked Jungle in 2000, when Keith appeared naked, wearing nothing but a hat.

He later admitted it was the “worst career move I made in my entire life”, explaining in 2017: “If I could turn the clock back, I would.

“When they phoned up and said they were doing this programme, everyone’s forgotten that bit, I thought it would be a laugh.

“They said it was going to go out at 11pm on a Tuesday night, and I seriously thought that nobody would watch it.

“Oh my God was I wrong!”

Ahead of his death, Keith admitted to smoking 60 cigarettes a day back in 2001. He was just 60 years old when he passed away.

Chris Evans

As well as achieving notoriety when he was announced as one of the new Top Gear hosts after Jeremy Clarkson got the boot, Chris Evans had a high-profile relationship with Doctor Who star Billie Piper.

The stars tied the knot in 2001, when Chris was 34 and Billie just 19 years old – but they went their separate ways in 2004, finally divorcing in 2007.

Chris has also been struck with tragedy when he witnessed two deaths – one the result of a fatal sailing accident while onboard a yacht.

The boat’s skipper, James Ward, was knocked overboard on a trip organised by Chris and six pals to celebrate his birthday. He was knocked overboard when the boom swung across the yacht, and though emergency services were contacted, attempts at resuscitation failed.

A spokesperson at the time said Chris was “deeply shocked” by the incident.

But that wasn’t the end. In 2015, Chris was overseeing his CarFest event in Cheshire when a synchronised flying display went horribly wrong.

One pilot, 35-year-old Kevin Whyman, was tragically killed in a plane crash.

Chris released a statement at the time which read: “Just after 2pm, there was a tragic accident – the result of which was one of the pilots involved in a synchro display lost his life.

“Our condolences go out to his family who have been informed. The event will continue on the advice of the three aviation authorities we are currently involved with as part of the ongoing investigation into what happened.

“The police have also advised us that the best thing, and the safest thing to do, is to carry on with the event – bearing in mind there are 10,000 children here. That’s what we’re going to do.”

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk