Louise Mary Minchin (born September 1968) is a British television presenter, journalist and former news presenter who currently works freelance within the BBC. Beginning in 2012, Minchin was a regular anchor on the BBC One programme Breakfast, co-hosting the show three days a week with Dan Walker. On 8 June 2021, Minchin announced live on air that she would be leaving BBC Breakfast "after the summer", after presenting the show for 20 years (at first as a stand-in host). Her final appearance on the show was on 15 September 2021. From 2009 until 2012, Minchin co-hosted Real Rescues alongside Nick Knowles and Chris Hollins. She has guest-hosted The One Show a number of times since 2010. Early life Minchin spent her early life in British Hong Kong, where her father was a Major in the Irish Guards of the British Army. She was educated at St Mary's School, Ascot, and has a degree in Spanish from the University of St Andrews. She subsequently studied journalism at the London College of Communication. Career Minchin started her career in the Latin American section of the BBC World Service during a year in Argentina, the Today programme, Five and various local radio stations. In 2006, she toured the country in a converted bus meeting England fans as part of the World Cup coverage for BBC News. She started work for Radio 5 Live in 1998, and married David Minchin the same year. She presented many of the station's main programmes, including Drive and Breakfast. Between September 2003 and April 2012, she was a regular BBC News Channel presenter, initially working alongside Jon Sopel from 7 pm to 10 pm. Minchin then presented the 2 pm to 5 pm slot, also with Sopel, sharing this shift with Emily Maitlis. She was also one of the main relief presenters for BBC News at One until April 2012. In 2006 and 2007, Minchin was a relief presenter on BBC Breakfast while Kate Silverton covered for main anchor Sian Williams. After Williams returned, she continued to co-host the programme, and from May 2009 until April 2012 was the regular weekend presenter of the show. In December 2011, the BBC announced that Minchin would replace Williams as a main presenter of BBC Breakfast along with Bill Turnbull and Charlie Stayt when the programme moved to Salfordthe first edition was presented on Tuesday 10 April 2012. On Tuesday 8