Kay Burley switches to Sky News breakfast slot in shake-up to schedule

Sky News’ Kay Burley will have early starts from next month for a new breakfast show as part of a shake-up to the channel’s schedule.

Following a job swap with Sarah-Jane Mee, Burley will host a new breakfast programme from 7am-9am Mondays to Thursdays from October 14 to coincide with MPs returning to Parliament amid the countdown to Brexit.

Called Kay Burley@Breakfast, it is billed as “a hard-hitting, news-making breakfast news programme that will set the agenda for the day”.

Burley will speak with politicians and break the latest lines on moving stories while also addressing headline topics of the day including culture, tech and climate, Sky News said.

The veteran newsreader will present from Sky News’ Westminster studios.

Mee, who has hosted Sky News’ long-running breakfast show Sunrise for the past three years, will move to the afternoon slot formerly taken up by The Kay Burley Show.

The Sarah-Jane Mee Show will run from 2pm-5pm and will include the latest news developments as well as longer form interviews on topical issues and a daily debate.

Sunrise’s Niall Paterson will remain on screens in the morning with The Early Rundown, airing before Burley’s stint from 6am-7am on weekday mornings.

Paterson will deliver a comprehensive round up of events overnight while looking ahead at the day’s upcoming stories.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, news anchors Stephen Dixon and Gillian Joseph will front @Breakfast from the Sky Studios in Osterly, for what the broadcaster has said will be in a “more relaxed style” for the weekend.

Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Sky News director of content said: “We are always looking to stay fresh and never stand still while the world changes around us so quickly.

“We’re living in exciting times and Kay, Sarah-Jane and Niall will all bring their own personal style and strengths to their new shows and I’m excited for them to get started at such a tumultuous time.”