BBC Breakfast: New host replaces Dan Walker
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Dan Walker quit Football Focus last April after 12 years as its lead presenter. The star went on to compete in Strictly Come Dancing later that year, whilst also juggling his presenting role at BBC Breakfast and hosting The NFL Show alongside fellow former Strictly contestant, Jason Bell.
Former professional American Football player Jason Bell, 43, joined Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show today to discuss the upcoming Super Bowl 56, which will take place this Sunday.
The Super Bowl is the USA’s biggest sporting event of the year, featuring a playoff championship game of the National Football League (NFL).
Jason was a cornerback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and New York Giants.
However, in recent years, the sports star has strapped on his dancing shoes to compete in BBC fan-favourite show Strictly.
Jason competed in the series in 2020 alongside professional dance partner Luba Mushtuk, but was unfortunately second out of the competition after former Labour Party politician Jacqui Smith.
Nonetheless, when quizzed by Zoe about Strictly, he gushed about his time on the show, admitting that he still likes to dance and that his young daughter is “infatuated” with it.
Zoe then asked Jason if his pal Dan Walker, 44, had asked him for advice before entering the latest series of the show back in September, as the pair have both been presenting on the NFL Show together since November 2020.
“He did ask me and I said, ‘Dan, you’ll be great on it,’ because I know Dan’s personality,” Jason confirmed.
“Dan is one of the best people I’ve ever met, he is just a nice human being. So I said, ‘This will be perfect for you.’
“Dan steps up to challenges and that’s what you need to do when you get on Strictly.”
The BBC star ended up placing fifth on the show alongside his dance partner Nadiya Bychkova, with viewers praising Dan for his enthusiasm and commitment, despite his lack of dance experience.
“I think I was more stressed out than anything watching him, but he did great,” Jason continued.
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“He used to come in – we would film before he would go in – and we would talk and he was just so excited.
“He had so much energy and I just said, ‘Dan, this is perfect for you. I’m so happy’.”
Dan quit Football Focus in April 2021, after which he pursued other projects including The NFL Show and Strictly.
The journalist has been presenting BBC Breakfast for six years, having joined back in February 2016.
During the show, Zoe also asked for Jason’s prediction about who might win the Super Bowl this year, to which he cautiously replied: “the LA Rams”.
The star also confirmed that the halftime show was “going to be explosive”, suggesting that some people might show up for the music alone.
This year’s halftime show will feature some of the world’s biggest hip hop and R&B artists, including legends like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.
The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show airs weekdays at 6:30am on BBC Radio 2 and is also available on BBC Sounds.
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