BBC Breakfast host Ben Thompson gave viewers a rare glimpse into his personal life during Sunday's broadcast (March 29), as he hosted the show solo. The usual double-presenter format was shaken up, with Naga Munchetty absent from the red sofa.
Thompson opened up following a segment on youth unemployment, which has reached its highest level in over a decade. The BBC spoke to several 16 and 17-year-olds struggling to secure weekend jobs, with one interviewee saying: 'They don't accept you if you don't have work experience, but how are you going to get that work experience if nobody lets you get it? It makes me feel like I'm not wanted.'
Coffee shop owner Neil Wyatt explained why businesses may be hesitant to hire younger staff, noting: 'Every young person you take on, particularly when they're at the lower end of the 16 to 18-year-old spectrum, they're going to need a bit more time and attention than someone who's already been there, seen it and done the job.'
After the report, Thompson appealed to viewers to share memories of their first weekend jobs, making a personal admission: 'Mine was watering hanging baskets in a garden centre, so let us know whether you did anything more exciting.'
The solo hosting came a day after Thompson and Munchetty struggled to contain laughter during a segment on a novel seagull deterrent involving googly eyes attached to takeaway boxes.
