BBC Breakfast star Charlie Stayt was left red-faced when his co-star Hugh Ferris refused to sing live on air – and pointedly told the presenter to ‘put the mic down’
BBC Breakfast: Charlie Stayt shut down as he asks co-star to sing
BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt was left without the musical interlude he was hoping for when his co-presenter Hugh Ferris turned down his request for a song.
Charlie, aged 62, was at the helm of the Boxing Day edition of the show solo, aiming to keep the festive cheer going by injecting some lighthearted banter into the broadcast.
In an effort to keep the holiday spirit alive, Charlie suggested that his co-host grace the show with a song.
After Hugh finished his sports update and mentioned Beyonce’s recent NFL halftime performance, Charlie took the opportunity to ask Hugh which track he would choose for a karaoke session.
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The Express reports Hugh replied: “I think the last song I did and it was a while ago…” but stopped when he noticed Charlie reaching for a microphone on the red sofa, prompting him to sharply reply: ” Put that mic down, Charlie, before I even finish the sentence!
“I’ve managed to shred Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me by Elton John – you reach, I’m not even going to entertain it,” Hugh continued.
Charlie turned to weather presenter Carol Kirkwood and cheekily asked her: “Carol, you want this to happen don’t you?” Carol, joining in on the fun, responded with an enthusiastic, “Oh yeah!”.
Despite the encouragement, Hugh said: “What you don’t realize, Charlie, is that I’m the nearest to the studio exit.” But Charlie playfully pushed him to embrace the spirit of Boxing Day.
Charlie began his journalism career in 1995 with ITN. He later moved to Five News, where he covered major events such as the 9/11 attacks, before moving to Sky News and eventually BBC.
He joined the BBC Breakfast team in 2008 and is a regular host from Thursday to Saturday, alongside co-star Naga Munchetty.
In addition to his news work, Charlie has also ventured into reality television. He has hosted shows such as Jailbreak and Are You Telepathic. He even took part as a contestant on the BBC’s popular quiz show The Weakest Link in 2022.
Charlie is happily married to Anne Breckell and they have two children together.
