Lauren Laverne has announced that she is stepping down from hosting the BBC Radio 6 Music Breakfast Show after six years.
Former BBC Radio 1 presenter Nick Grimshaw will take over hosting the slot in February, when Laverne will return to mid-mornings to present a new weekday programme.
Laverne, who hosts BBC Radio 4’s popular interview programme Desert Island Discs along with doing regular stints on The One Show, referenced her recent cancer diagnosis as she announced: “As listeners will know, I had a really tough 2024 and worried at times that I wouldn’t be able to return to the station I love so much.
“It has been a huge honour (and so much fun) to host the Breakfast Show for six wonderful years, but it is time to pass the baton on, and to set my alarm a little later.”
The Sunderland-born presenter continued: “During my recovery I learned all over again about the power of music, the people you surround yourself with and the emotional support and joy radio can provide.
“I’m so grateful to be able to get back to doing what I love and sharing those things with our brilliant listeners every day.”
Laverne took a break from presenting her BBC shows last year after a cancer diagnosis.
She revealed in November that she had been given the “all clear”.
She began recording episodes of Desert Island Discs again in November after being absent from the studios for around three months.
Grimshaw has been stepping in regularly for Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music after she took a break in August.
Laverne, who has long served as one of the lead presenters for the BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury festival, took over the job of presenting Desert Island Discs from Kirsty Young in 2018.
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She began her career in music with her pop-rock band, Kenickie, before establishing herself as a presenter through guest slots on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News For You in the early Noughties. In 2005, she became the first woman to host XFM’s flagship breakfast show.
Over the past six years, she has entertained many listeners with Desert Island Discs interviews including castaways Cher, Cillian Murphy, Ian Wright, Jamie Dornan, Mark Knopfler, Anthony Joshua, Rebel Wilson and Ruth Jones.
Her switch to a mid-morning show comes after fellow BBC Radio host Zoe Ball stepped down as presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, also after six years, as she expressed her desire to spend more time with her family.
“I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the early alarm call and start a new chapter,” Ball said, adding: “I’m excited to embrace my next chapter, including being a mum in the mornings, and I can’t wait to tune in on the school run!”
Ball’s former slot will be taken over by her friend Scott Mills, who previously presented the weekday afternoon programme from 2pm to 4pm.
Additional reporting by Press Association
