Dan Walker shares date hes leaving BBC Breakfast to join Channel 5
Dan Walker is set to leave the BBC later this year and has revealed the date he will step down.
Talking to co-presenter Sally Nugent, Dan said he is looking forward to Sally's offer of a leaving tart.
Dan, 45, laughed: "A tart would be lovely thank you. I look forward to that."
The presenter known for fronting the likes of Football Focus and BBC Breakfast is leaving for pastures new very soon.
Explaining his decision to leave, Dan said he was sad to be going and thanked fans for sending messages of good wishes.
He said: "It is nice but, as I have explained to you, it’s also quite… it was a big decision and it’s quite a sad one as well.
"The other thing to say is, 'thank you', to everybody who sent so many lovely messages. And one thing I have realised, because lots of people want to chat to you, don’t they, about this programme, because it means an awful lot to an awful lot of people."
So where and when is he going?
When is Dan Walker leaving BBC Breakfast?
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Dan Walker will leave BBC Breakfast on May 17, so he can go and prepare for his new role.
He said: "May 17 is my last day, so two weeks today. If you discount this one [show] because we’re on it, it’s only six more three o’clockers and then I’m out of here."
Dan has also squashed rumours about why he is leaving and simply said he is after a new challenge.
The presenter said: "In a nutshell… a bloke with a really good job, which he loved, got offered a really good job somewhere else which provided an amazing new challenge and the chance to make some exciting TV."
"The bloke explained to his current employers that, even though it was a tough decision, he had decided to leave. They are now trying their best to allow him to make a dignified departure."
Where is Dan Walker going to?
Dan Walker is leaving BBC Breakfast to go to Channel 5, where he will replace Sian Williams as leach anchor on 5 News.
He will also be "fronting a range of new programming on the channel", meaning he can now avoid the 3am starts required for the Breakfast job, which he has done since 2016.
It means Dan joins a host of stars jumping ship from the BBC, such as the likes of Jon Sopel, Emily Maitlis and Andrew Marr.
He said: "Channel 5 came with big ambitions, with big plans and I don't think opportunities like this come around very often and I can't wait.
"And what an honour to step into the shoes of Sian Williams. I know how popular she is with both the team and also the audience, so all I can say is I will do my best to maintain her incredibly high standards.
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