Morning Live fans were delighted during the Halloween spectacular when a fresh face was announced to join the presenting team.
On Thursday morning, host Michelle Ackerley introduced her new co-host, the ex-rugby player Ugo Monye, as she greeted viewers.
She commented: “Happy Halloween and Happy Diwali. We’ve got a belting bunch to keep you company today.”
Following the line-up rundown of stars set to grace the episode, Michelle warmly welcomed her co-presenter, saying: “Good morning to you all. Please join me in extending a very warm welcome to Ugo! Happy first day presenting Morning Live!”
Amidst cheers and applause from the guests, Michelle playfully inquired if Ugo felt a bit lost, like it was his first day at school.
Ugo jovially responded: “It does, but without the PTSD because today I actually made friends.”
The laughter that followed had Michelle affirming the welcoming nature of the crew before turning the attention back to Ugo’s background, reports Wales Online.
Speaking further about Ugo, she continued: “Of course, many people will know you from presenting Question of Sport, but also from your incredibly successful career in rugby, both on and off the field.”
When an archived photo of Ugo in action came up, Michelle couldn’t resist asking if he reminisced positively about that game.
Ugo humorously admitted: “I mean, we lost, but I’ll take the photo!”
In a major shake-up of the beloved BBC quiz show Question of Sport back in 2021, Ugo Monye was revealed as one of the new team captains.
He joined forces with fellow captain Sam Quek and host Paddy McGuinness who stepped in to fill the shoes of former presenter Sue Barker.
Ugo expressed his delight at the new role, saying: “It’s a show I have watched my entire life, so to be named as a captain is truly humbling.”
Despite the fanfare surrounding the revamped lineup, towards the end of last year, the BBC confirmed that the iconic series had been put on hold for now.
Citing financial pressures, the broadcaster explained: “Due to inflation and funding challenges, difficult decisions have to be made, therefore Question of Sport is currently not in production at the moment.”
Morning Live continues weekdays on BBC One from 9:30am.