22 October 2023 , 14:26
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Laura Kuenssberg was absent from her Sunday morning show for a third week. She was replaced again by journalist and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Victoria Derbyshire.
The former BBC political editor also missed her show, Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, on Sundays, September 24 and October 8, Ms Derbyshire is also standing in for Kuenssberg on the podcast, Newscast. After the first absence, The Sun reported that the frontwoman was missing due to "personal reasons." She also missed the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool but returned to screens for one week on October 1 to interview Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Viewers first became aware that Victoria Derbyshire was first on the show again as she popped up on BBC Breakfast where she previewed what would be coming up on the day's show, including a chat with Israel's former Prime Minister as well as Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.
Victoria Derbyshire fronted the BBC's Sunday morning politics show (BBC)Ms Derbyshire grilled Jenrick on recent by-elections and asked him if he was in “denial” after he said he wouldn’t “read too much” into his party’s recent by-election losses in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth.
People watching the show were quick to praise Ms Derbyshire for her interviewing style and called for her to be a permanent replacement for Laura, who took over the Sunday morning flagship politics show from Andrew Marr in 2022. One viewer said on X (formally Twitter) "@VictoriaLIVE becoming Sunday "go to" politics in the absence of Laura Kuenssberg. It's not LK's fault, just not up to the job. Give Victoria the job full time."
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Another said: "Victoria Derbyshire a masterclass in how politicians should be held to account-she's just downgraded Lisa Nandy to a 12-year-old schoolgirl-I imagine if she presents Kuenssberg's show for much longer there will be a whole host of politicos refusing to appear."
A third shared: "I’ve decided I’m only going to watch the Laura Kuenssberg show if Victoria Derbyshire is hosting!" When Victoria stood in for Laura prior to this break, the Scottish presenter took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share her apologies.
She said: "Sorry everyone, I can’t make #bbclaurak or #newscast this weekend — but don’t miss @vicderbyshire in the chair at 9 tomorrow on @BBCOne"
Laura Kuenssberg moved to Sunday mornings after stepping down in December 2021 as the BBC's first-ever female political editor, a role she took over from Nick Robinson. At the time she said of moving to the Sunday role: "I couldn’t be more delighted. For decades, Sunday morning has been the moment to explore the events that shape us and to challenge and listen to our politicians. It’s an honour to take the chair for that conversation in the 2020s.”
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, with Victoria Derbyshire, on BBC iPlayer now.