The has moved to reassure viewers after weeks of questions about where Sally Nugent has gone from Breakfast, saying the presenter is taking annual leave and is due back on air later this week. Nugent, a familiar face on the morning programme since 2021, has been noticeably absent in recent weeks, with Sarah Campbell filling in for her most recently on Monday, 11 May.

Viewers made their concern plain on social media, with one asking, "No seriously where is Sally Nugent?" Another wrote, "Where's Sally Has she left," while a third posted, "Where is Sally Nugent" and a fourth said, "Where's Sally Nugent? Not seen her for a while,". For a presenter who has become one of the regular anchors of the show, the gap was obvious enough to prompt speculation about whether she had left the programme altogether.

That matters because Nugent is not a new or occasional stand-in. She has been a regular fixture on Breakfast since 2021 and has appeared alongside Naga Munchetty, Charlie Stayt and Jon Kay. The morning programme runs from 6am and depends on continuity; when one of its best-known faces disappears for several broadcasts, viewers notice quickly and start asking questions before the broadcaster answers them.

The 's explanation is simple: Nugent is on annual leave. That answer fits with the way she has generally kept her private life out of the spotlight. She was previously married to businessman Gavin Hawthorn for around 13 years, and the couple's relationship reportedly ended in 2023. She also has a son, though she has not disclosed his name or shared an image of him.

Nugent has occasionally offered small glimpses into life away from the studio. In 2022, she told The Sunday Times that she often starts her day with a run or a walk with her dog, Sadie, meets a friend for lunch and picks up her son from school before doing news research. Last year, she also wrote on Instagram that she had been very lucky to have a proper break that summer and thanked everyone who made it possible, with fans replying that she looked great and that they had missed her.

For now, the mystery is over. Nugent is not leaving Breakfast, and viewers will see her back later this week, ending a burst of speculation that grew simply because one of the show's most recognisable presenters was off air for long enough to be noticed.