BBC Breakfast: Sally emotional as she discusses Rob Burrows' life
Sally Nugent was forced to halt BBC Breakfast on Tuesday after she was tipped off by producers that there was a "breaking news" announcement to be delivered.
The 53-year-old, was co-hosting alongside Ben Thompson, 41, when they were given the news that an emotional fundraiser had reached groundbreaking highs, with the pot now exceeding their target.
Earlier on in the programme, fans listened to the heartbreaking story as rugby legend Billy Twelvetrees and a number of professional rugby players cycled 350 miles in 24 hours to raise awareness of the urgency in finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Coming back to the fundraiser, Sally updated: "Guess what, we have some breaking news to bring you which is..." Ben chimed in, adding: "They have beaten their target £74,500 and they are currently at £77,000."
"Congratulations to them and amazing charity," exclaimed Sally's co-star as she hailed: "They have doubled that total just while we were on-air this morning so well done."
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The 4Ed Cycle made its debut in the summer of 2022, after former English rugby union player Ed Slater's MND diagnosis, with his team mates rallying around to provide support and raise funds for an important charity close to their hearts.
At the moment, there is no cure for MND and the progression of the disease can often be rapid, with the nerves found around the brain and spinal cord being affected. More than half of those diagnosed will not live beyond two years after their diagnosis.
The rugby league has been totally rocked with two of their co-players being affected by MND with Ed being one sufferer and the late Rob Burrows sadly passing away in June of this year.
After raising huge sums of cash back in 2022, the rugby squad was back, this time hoping to rally up even more funds and further awareness.
Speaking about his friend Ed's diagnosis, rugby ace Billy Twelvetrees, explained why he is so keen to support the cause. He said: "It really hit my wife and I as soon as we heard about Ed's terrible news. It's drastically sad, we were angry.
"We all want to help as friends and teammates, and that's what I'm here to do." Ed and Rob are among a number of high-profile sportspeople who have campaigned and raised massive awareness of MND after being diagnosed.
Appearing on the BBC Breakfast previously, Ed hailed his friend Rob for doing all that he could before his death to support the cause.
He said: "Rob was a special human, he has left us so many incredible stories and that's just his rugby career alone, how successful he was defying the odds, the size of the spirit he had.
"Then you move on to his life with MND, his devotion to Lindsey [Burrow's wife] and the kids and then of course leading so many of us out of the darkness by shining a light on MND. That's why when I heard Rob had passed away the first words I could think of were 'thank you'."
The BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC1, from 6am.
