Selina Scott snubs BBC Breakfast celebrations after ‘feeling forced to kiss Jimmy Savile’ | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV
Selina Scott, 71, is credited for her part as a co-host in the first dedicated breakfast television programme in the UK. However, the veteran broadcaster did not seem to have such fond memories of her three-year stint on the programme as she recounted feeling like a “combatant in a war zone” back then.
Selina revealed she was invited to the celebration of BBC Breakfast’s 40th anniversary this week, but “politely declined” as she did not want to “look back”.
Explaining her reasoning behind her decision, Selina said: “This despite the fact that I had launched the BBC’s Breakfast Time in 1983 as the lead female anchor and became the face of the programme for three years.
“I said no because I prefer to look forward rather than back, but also because so much of my time on the hideous red leather sofa made me feel I was a combatant in a war zone.
“Then, as now, breakfast television sought to conjure up a relaxed, sunny, cosy, non-confrontational, ‘all friends together’ vibe with its cheesy interviews and apparently unrehearsed chit-chat between the presenters and the morning’s guests.”
Selina added in her column for the Daily Mail: “The reality was rather different.”
Elsewhere in the column, Selina claimed that her late co-host, Frank Bough, as well as disgraced BBC star Jimmy Savile “took liberties” with her, with the latter acting like a “lovesick teenaged” while being interviewed by her.
Selina added: “For more than two hours, he acted like a lovesick teenager as I tried to interview him.
“No matter how hard I tried to deflect his smutty innuendos, he kept coming back with more ‘wink wink, nudge nudge’ suggestions.”
BBC Breakfast viewers took a trip down memory lane earlier this week as the programme celebrated its 40th anniversary with present and past hosts.
The broadcaster aired a special episode on January 17 to pay tribute to its history as Jon Kay and Sally Nugent presented a nostalgic news programme.
Fans of the BBC show spotted some key differences to the usual programming as the show took a step back in time.
BBC Breakfast reinstated the original vintage clock for a one-off segment as it welcomed back its first ever weatherman.
Viewers enjoyed archive footage, fan favourites, and a host of extra special guests.
The daily programme included a special half hour when BBC Breakfast was rebranded to the original Breakfast Time.
Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood was joined by the first Breakfast Time forecaster Francis Wilson.
Leo Sayer, who was a guest on the very first show, was also one of the special guests in the celebratory instalment.
