It was a nostalgic return for fans of BBC Breakfast as former host Louise Minchin appeared on the show's sofa once again, three years after her departure.
Minchin, who left in September 2021 to pursue new opportunities and enjoy more family time, joined hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent to discuss her upcoming New Year's Day special on Celebrity Gladiators.
Jon Kay took to Instagram to share his excitement at her return, penning: "Look who’s back! And now she’s a GLADIATOR!! Brilliant to have @louiseminchin join @sallynugenttv and me on the #bbcbreakfast sofa this morning ahead of her appearance on #gladiators on New Year’s Day.”
Fans quickly flooded social media with positive reactions. One fan wrote: "Lovely to see Louise back if only to get people to watch Gladiators," while another commented: "Louise always cracks me up. She has such an infectious laugh. So bubbly."
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Others added: "Lovely to see Louise on the sofa. I think she’s very brave taking part in ‘Gladiators’. Hope she did well," and "Lovely to see you on TV you're a great presenter happy new year."
The 56-year-old shared her daunting experience on Celebrity Gladiators, describing it as "terrifying." Despite competing alongside comedians Rob Beckett, Joel Dommett, and Ellie Taylor, she was anxious about the challenges.
She explained: "‘It was the most fun I think I’ve ever had when I’m supposedly working. It was absolutely hilarious, terrifying, and utterly brilliant. I loved every single moment of it," she told Metro.
Her apprehensions were evident as she added: "‘I was really worried, because the Gladiators are like made of steel, they’re so strong and they’re so good at all the different games. I was 55 when I did it, I was really worried, I’ve got really bad knees and all sorts of things.
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"I was kind of worried going into it that I would fall over or twist my knee, hurt my ankle, so yeah I was really worried."
Hosted by Bradley and Barney Walsh, the Gladiators' Celebrity Special will see Minchin and others face the show's classic challenges before the iconic Eliminator round.
Minchin emphasised the empowering nature of the crowd's support, stating: "I didn’t realise how empowering that was to have the crowd shouting at you when you’re running across the bridge or whatever it is."
Besides Gladiators, the seasoned broadcaster has participated in other reality shows and occasionally hosted ITV's Lorraine, where she expressed her admiration for Lorraine Kelly. "I'm a massive fan of Lorraine's. She's a legend and I absolutely love her programme. I feel really honoured to be able to step into her shoes when she's not there and I'm very happy to do so again," she shared with OK! magazine.
