Northern Ireland

Anchor woman announced as Eamonn Holmes steps down from Sky morning show

Sarah-Jane Mee who will take over the reins from Eamonn Holmes as the new anchor for Sky News' flagship breakfast programme Sunrise, Picture by Sky, Press Association
Sarah-Jane Mee who will take over the reins from Eamonn Holmes as the new anchor for Sky News' flagship breakfast programme Sunrise, Picture by Sky, Press Association Sarah-Jane Mee who will take over the reins from Eamonn Holmes as the new anchor for Sky News' flagship breakfast programme Sunrise, Picture by Sky, Press Association

SARAH-JANE Mee will take over the reins from Eamonn Holmes as the new anchor for Sky News' flagship breakfast programme Sunrise.

She will be joined by new co-host Jonathan Samuels, currently the senior correspondent for Sky News, as well as sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao and weather presenters Isobel Lang and Nazaneen Ghaffar.

Ms Mee said she is "so excited" to be taking over from Holmes, and that the appointment is "a real honour".

She said: "I feel privileged that I will be starting the day with Sunrise viewers around the UK and beyond. Live news is always such a thrill, you never know where the morning will take you and I looking forward to finding out."

John Ryley, Head of Sky News, said: "I am delighted that Sarah-Jane is to anchor Sunrise. She's enjoying a stellar career here at Sky and will bring a fresh outlook to Sunrise, combining a lightness of touch with sharp journalistic nous; I know she will excel in her new role."

Ms Mee's career began at Sky, first of all acting as a runner for Sky Sports before moving to ITV in 2002 to become a sports reporter in the Midlands.

She enjoyed a brief radio career as co-host on Heart FM's breakfast show before returning to Sky in 2008.

Since then, she has worked for Sky News and has fronted Saturday Night Football and Cricket AM on Sky Sports.

Earlier this year Mee enjoyed a short stint as lead presenter on Sunrise, and she has said she is looking forward to "returning to the Sunrise hot-seat" permanently.

Mr Holmes recently confirmed that he would be stepping down as the programme's lead anchor after 11 years.

He said that anchoring his own breakfast show was "the stuff of boyhood dreams" but that it is time for him to step down due to "having so much to do but little time to do it".

Ms Mee will begin her new role as Sunrise's lead host on October 17, along with Samuels.