BBC Breakfast's Dan Walker gets close to co-host again for first time since pandemic

Dan Walker and BBC Breakfast co-host Sally Nugent have shuffled up on the sofa together for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

All COVID-19 legal restrictions have come to an end in England as part of the governments 'Living with COVID' plan and the breakfast TV hosts marked the changes by getting close on screen for the first time in two years.

Walker posted on Instagram: "Good morning world. Yes… we are sitting closer together for the first time in 2 years."

Nugent was announced in October as becoming a permanent anchor on the BBC show following the departure of Louise Minchin in September.

Read more: BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent shares punishing morning routine

Government social distancing laws previously stated that people keep two metres apart from those outside their households while at work.

Over on ITV This Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield shared a hug on screen for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19 two years ago.

Willoughby, 41, admitted: "We have had a few cuddles off camera but this is officially the first one here."

Back in September 2020 Willoughby and Schofield shared an embrace through a plastic curtain, as they weren't legally allowed to tough on screen.

They returned to their hosting duties this week following their summer break along with a plastic sheet that had armholes for each of them so they could hug each other without skin-to-skin contact.

"Oh my god," exclaimed Willoughby. "I don't want to let go. There you are."

Schofield, 59, was absent from the show just a few weeks ago, after testing positive for COVID-19.

The Loose Women panel also kicked off the show with a round of hugs for the each other.

Ruth Langsford said: "We don't have to be all the metres apart any more. How nice to start the show with a big hug."

Read more: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield use 'cuddle curtain' to hug for first time in six months

She and fellow Loose Women Coleen Nolan, Kelle Bryan and Carol McGiffin all enjoyed a warm embrace to start the show.

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