Proceedings on BBC Breakfast turned slightly awkward on Wednesday, as presenter Sally Nugent jokingly snapped at viewers to ‘let it go’ after a row about Christmas trees.
Hosting the show alongside temporary presenter Jon Kay amid Dan Walker’s continued absence, Sally was discussing the 12 days of Christmas in the Christian calendar – and when is the right time to take decorations down.
Jon kicked off the conversation by saying: “There’s one number that’s important to people today, it’s the number 12 – and if this is twelfth night. Our reporter John Maguire has been out on the road with people taking down their Christmas trees and recycling them.”
Sally interrupted: “I think I’ve changed my mind now. I thought it was twelfth night, maybe it’s not. Maybe it is tomorrow. You can basically read it either way!”
Jon said: “Basically, I think today is 12 days since Christmas. Tonight is 12 nights since Christmas, but tomorrow is Epiphany in the Christian calendar, which means that a lot of people celebrate Epiphany and that’s the thing.
(Image: PA)
“So that’s the contrast. But a lot of you are not happy that John Maguire is taking down people’s Christmas trees across Britain this morning!”
Sally replied: “I think it is time, though, isn’t it?”
Gesturing to the empty space behind him where the BBC Breakfast Christmas tree once stood, Jon explained: “We’ve lost ours! John started here!”
Sally continued: “It’s time for them all to go. It’s time for them all to be recycled – let it go.”
(Image: BBC)
But Jon disagreed: “No, I think keep them up! Keep the lights shining for a bit longer!”
The row also sparked outrage on social media, as one fan argued: “Christmas decorations come down on Epiphany… 6th January.”
“#bbcbreakfast tonight is the 12th night as Christmas trees were originally put up on 24th of December,” someone else tweeted.
As another fan said: “By the way, 12th night is a Victorian invention, before them Xmas decorations were taken down at Candle-mass, which is late February! So it’s irrelevant if it’s the 5th or 6th January!”
(Image: BBC)
And a fourth ranted: “@BBCBreakfast #January6 People throwing away such still-lovely #XmasTrees, just because of an arbitrary date, should really stop buying real trees!”
It came amid Dan Walker’s continued absence from the show, as he joked Sally Nugent had told him Breakfast was cancelled.
Taking to Twitter, Dan shared a snap of Sally grinning alongside Tuesday’s host Ben Thompson with the caption: “What? You told me #bbcbreakfast wasn’t on this week and that you were ‘in the Maldives’!”
Sally responded to the tweet to simply write: “Awks” with a cringing emoji.
However, the true reason for Dan’s absence is a lot more benign, as he has been enjoying some well-deserved family time after an intense year – working on Breakfast, Football Focus and Strictly.
The star shared a snap from Chatsworth Estate in Bakewell, writing: “Gorgeous afternoon at @ChatsworthHouse with the family. Freezing but lovely.
“P.S. the people in the photo are not my family!”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
