Steph McGovern has paid tribute to her former colleagues on BBC Breakfast as “the most supportive group of show-offs you’ll ever meet”.
The broadcaster, who is expecting her first baby, is departing the programme to host her own programme, The Steph Show, on Channel 4.
McGovern, 37, has worked alongside a range of BBC Breakfast presenters, including Dan Walker, Naga Munchetty and Louise Minchin, since she joined the show in 2010.
Mush alert, but just a few words I wanted to say to the @BBCBreakfast gang on my departure from the show. pic.twitter.com/CpFKHVNaB5
— Steph McGovern (@stephbreakfast) October 22, 2019
Writing on Twitter, she said that while it might sound “mushy”, the team had become like “an extended family”.
She said: “Eeee well what a couple of days! Thank you so much for all the kind messages.
“It’s been a bit overwhelming and given I’m due to give birth any day now, I thought I better take a day or two before I tweet.
“First up, I want to thank BBC Breakfast… my home for over eight years.
“It’s mushy, but the wonderful team on the show have been an extended family to me.
“From the tech gang who make sure you can hear and see us, the production posse who make sure I am in the right place at the right time, the make-up artists who make sure I don’t look like a clip (Boro phrase), and the super sharp producers who carefully craft the stories that we cover, working all hours of the day and night.
“I love them. They have looked after me through thick and thin, and made me sound and look much better than I really am.
“Then of course there’s the presenting team. The most supportive group of show-offs you’ll ever meet.
“Whatever is happening in each of our lives, we’ve covered for each other, fought for each other and of course regularly taken the mick out of each other too.”
Olympic gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy and TV presenter Victoria Derbyshire were among those who wished her luck in her new role.
McGovern, who was on maternity leave from the BBC when she announced her departure, will be joined by a different, well-known co-host on her show each week.
They will look at the topics of the day, as well as consumer affairs, fun features and interaction with the viewers – all filmed in front of a live audience.