Bill Turnbull has only been gone for a few weeks, but he’s already missing the BBC Breakfast sofa.
The much-loved presenter is hosting new BBC1 daytime quiz show Think Tank, but while he is enjoying his new job as a quiz show host he didn’t realise how much work it would be.
“I hadn’t realised how physically demanding standing up all day would be,” Bill told What's on TV. “I’ve been doing some yoga at the end of every show to keep me going!”
But the lack of workplace comfort isn’t the only thing Bill is still getting used to and after getting up earlier than most of us for many years, his body clock is still adjusting.
"I’m still waking up in the middle of the night,” he explained. “And I’m still struggling to get past 10pm without falling asleep. I’m sure that will change soon enough, but at the moment I’m just trying to put my body clock back gradually.”
Yet his new regime isn’t all bad and Bill has been savouring his mornings, even finding the time to see how his BBC Breakfast replacement Dan Walker is doing.
“Everything seems to be distressingly fine without me,” he said. “Dan’s doing a great job so I’m very pleased for him.”
In Bill’s new show, three contestants will compete for a cash prize with the help of eight ‘Think Tankers’. Hailing from all over the country and coming from all walks of life, the Think Tankers will try to help the contestants answer the questions correctly, but sometimes they might accidentally lead them astray.
As a lifetime fan of quiz shows, Bill is relishing his chance to finally host one and says it’s far more enjoyable than his 2007 appearance on Mastermind.
“It was terrifying,” he said. “I ruined a whole summer preparing for my specialist subject, beekeeping, because I was so scared of getting a rubbish score!”
Think Tank premieres on Monday, March 21 at 2.15pm on BBC1
