Is Sally Nugent married and what is her salary? All you need to know about the BBC Breakfast host

BBC Breakfast viewers have been wondering if host Sally Nugent is married and what she gets up to outside the studio. 

Since taking over as a full-time presenter in autumn 2021, and the departure of long-standing host Dan Walker in May 2022, Sally Nugent has become a mainstay of mornings on BBC One. The smiley and stylish presenter is no stranger to viewers, having reported the daily sports news to viewers for the last 10 years, making her a perfect fit for the Breakfast team and the red sofa.

Her recent shows have seen her spill Carol Kirkwood's engagement (opens in new tab) news live on air and say a sad goodbye to colleague Dan Walker who quit the show (opens in new tab) after six years - he is expected to start work at Channel 5 news (opens in new tab) shortly and will be replaced by Jon Kay.

Is Sally Nugent married?

Yes, BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent is married with one child. The 50-year-old likes to keep her personal life private, so her husband's name is not known - but she married her long-term boyfriend and the couple have a son together.

Sally she shares much about her work on Instagram, but her son's age and name have not been revealed. However, her BBC profile (opens in new tab) reveals that her son 'football and rugby mad'. She is understood to have given birth back in 2008 and returned to work following her maternity leave on 8th January 2009.

Offering a rare glimpse into her private life, The Express (opens in new tab) revealed Sally had said: "When I had our son, my husband bought me a 'blue for a boy' vintage aquamarine ring from an antique jewellers in Richmond, London."

The family also has a pet dog - a Cavalier King Charles and a Toy Poodle mix called Sadie. The pooch has her own Instagram account - though it hasn't been posted on since 2018.

Sally has also shared a small snippet of her wedding day online. In a photo (opens in new tab) she posted on Instagram for the Royal Television Awards in 2021, there appears to be a picture frame of Sally and her husband as bride and groom in the top right hand corner.

Other pieces of information we know about the star's private life include her love of cycling and walking her dog, and she has been known to practice yoga and try out different health juices.

Where is Sally Nugent from?

Sally was born in Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula and went to Upton Hall School FCJ. She went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and French from the University of Huddersfield. 

Her BBC profile sheds a little light on her upbringing, saying "Sally loves watching sport. Raised in a house where her dad and brothers played rugby and her mum was a tennis coach, she didn’t really have much option!"

Sally landed her first BBC media job at BBC Radio Merseyside, before joining BBC North West Tonight to cover the sports news.

Her big break came in 2003 when she became a sports reporter for BBC News and appeared on national bulletins for the first time and went on to BBC News 24 to cover the 2006 World Cup in Germany and anchored Sportsday.

Following this, Sally became a news correspondent on TV and radio and a relief presenter on the BBC News Channel covering for presenters on holiday or unplanned absences.

When did Sally Nugent become a full-time BBC Breakfast host?

In October 2021, Sally was confirmed as a new full-time BBC Breakfast presenter, replacing Louise Minchin on the show. 

She joined the team which includes Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty (opens in new tab) and used to to co-host the show with Dan Walker (opens in new tab), but since he left the show has been doing the job alongside Jon Kay (opens in new tab).

Sally seemed to be the natural fit to take over following the departure of Louise Minchin (opens in new tab), having already earned fans as the show's sports presenter for the past decade.

Speaking about joining the show at the time, she said: "It was a little bit overwhelming, I have to say when the news was announced on Wednesday. Word finally got out there. Thank you to everybody who sent me all those messages. I'm trying to get back to as many people as I can. But everyone was so, so nice. I couldn't quite believe it. I'm just delighted to be here." 

Sally first started freelancing on BBC Breakfast in 2011 and has worked her way through the ranks since. As sports presenter, she picked up a the Scoop of the Year award at the 2021 Royal Television Society Journalism Awards for her chat with Marcus Rashford on his efforts to end child poverty.

What is Sally Nugent's salary?

The Sun (opens in new tab) have estimated Sally Nugent' salary to be around £250,000 a year. This is most likely an estimate based on her fellow female colleague Naga Munchetty earning's which for the 2020/2021 financial year, the BBC shared was £255,000.

It's thought that Sally's BBC income will have increased since becoming a regular host in October 2021.

The mum-of-one has never publicly confirmed her net worth or salary. However in 2020, the Breakfast star responded to a Twitter user who suggested her shoes on the show were by luxury designer Christian Louboutin and so must be earning more than the Chancellor:

"My shoes are from marks and Spencer and I guarantee the Chancellor earns more than me #Just Saying," she replied. Britain's current Chanceller of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak earns £79,000 as his base salary, plus another £71,000 for his role as Chancellor.

Video of the Week: