Stars of BBC Breakfast Time reunite to celebrate 25th anniversary - but where's Frank Bough?

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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BBC Breakfast presenters past and present came together to celebrate the programme's 25th Anniversary.

The famous faces making a return to the sofa this morning included Angela Rippon, weatherman Francis Wilson, Mike Smith and resident news glamour girl Selina Scott, who joined current presenters Sian Williams and Bill Turnbull in the studio.

But one face noticeable by his absence was fallen presenter Frank Bough.

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Boyish: A once boyish Mike Smith looks heavier but still has a touch of his choirboy looks

Former sports presenter Bough's television career was ruined by a sex and drugs scandal in the 90s. He did briefly return to present ITV's coverage of the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

But he later made headlines after being found in an S&M brothel in 1992.

Breakfast television arrived on British screens 25 years ago today, when the BBC launched Breakfast Time.

And for the anniversary show, the BBC recreated a version of the cosy original set, complete with colourful onscreen clock - and some presenters even wore commemorative Breakfast Time jumpers.

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The way we were: Frank Bough with his former Breakfast Time colleagues Selina Scott and Nick Ross before his career was rocked by sex and drug scandals

Former news presenter Selina Scott made a return to the breakfast couch, and looked extremely youthful considering the years that have passed.

Earlier this week, Miss Scott, weighed into the row over ageism in the BBC by accusing the corporation of "excluding" women over the age of 50.

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Handling presenting duties once more - though Selina has blasted the BBC for not using older female presenters on their channels

She told the Daily Mail: "There are tons of older men anchoring news and current affairs - think Dimbleby, Snow, McDonald, Sissons - but no older women.

"Why? Anna Ford has gone; so has Moira Stuart. John Simpson is still working. Why not Kate Adie? The new-look ITN News At Ten doesn't deploy the talents of Carol Barnes, 63.

"Angela Rippon, trained as a journalist, no longer anchors news. It is a sad fact that the one and only older woman I can think of on mainstream current affairs TV these days is Kirsty Wark. She is 52."

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Still youthful: Selina Scott still retains the looks that won her a legion of fans as she approaches her 60th year

Sofa stars: Weatherman Francis Wilson, presenter Mike Smith and news presenter Sue Cook

At the time of its launch, the new service was looked down on but a number of television professionals ended up passing through its doors.

These included the current BBC director-general, Mark Thompson, who was responsible for the weather, former Crime Watch presenter Nick Ross and Russell Grant, the BBC's first on-air astrologer, and GMTV's Fern Britton.

Diana Moran became a household name as the Green Goddess - best known for her vigorous fitness routines in a green leotard - and in Francis Wilson, the show had Britain's first personality weatherman.

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