Steph McGovern became emotional as she watched a reel of her highlights from her time on BBC Breakfast.
The TV presenter, who gave birth to a daughter in November, is leaving to host her own programme, The Steph Show, on Channel 4.
The 37-year-old brushed away tears while watching the video as she said her final farewell to her former BBC colleagues.
💕 We love @stephbreakfast's reaction to her #BBCBreakfast #BestBits ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YcEOeDTYuq
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) January 22, 2020
She told presenters Dan Walker and Louise Minchin: “I totally didn’t expect to cry. But there we are.”
McGovern said her eight years on the show had been “brilliant” and she had loved “the family” on the show, including everyone behind the scenes.
She was also shown video messages from former colleagues Robert Peston and Bill Turnbull.
“We always knew you’d have star quality” – Bill Turnbull@billtu pays tribute to @stephbreakfast as she bids farewell to #BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/jLzOwn7gAu
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) January 22, 2020
Peston said he was her “greatest superfan” and described her as a “superb broadcaster and brilliant producer”.
BBC presenters Carol Kirkwood and Sally Nugent also joined her on the red sofa and presented her with baby gifts.
She has not revealed the name of her daughter, her first child with her girlfriend, whose identity is not known.
Talking about being a first-time mother, McGovern said: “She’s fab and I’m really lucky, but I have a newfound respect for parents. I look at them now and think, ‘Wow, you look so together, when will I be like that?’”
Well hello world, just surfaced to let you know that we now have a daughter! Born on Monday morning just as @BBCBreakfast was wrapping up. We’re all fine and dandy. Just getting used to the eau de sick/poo I am now regularly wearing. #babylife ❤️ 👩👩👧
— Steph McGovern (@stephbreakfast) November 8, 2019
Another of her TV projects, a programme called Easy Ways To Live Well, which airs on Wednesday night on the BBC, sees her and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall looking at “quirkier” things that can be done to improve diet, fitness and mental health.
She said: “It’s all about trying to just help people, give them ideas for things that can improve mental health or your fitness or your diet, and not just the typical things we all hear, like eat five a day or make sure you get exercise – it’s the kind of quirkier things you might not know.”
The Steph Show will be broadcast daily from Channel 4’s new national headquarters in Leeds starting in the spring.
It has been billed as a mix of light current affairs, entertainment and lifestyle and will see McGovern interview figures from showbiz, politics and other areas.