Sarah Brett and Chris Buckler lined up to present Good Morning Ulster

Most recently Chris Buckler has been BBC News’ Washington correspondent while Sarah Brett has hosted her own late night discussion programme on BBC Radio 5 live.

The pair will join the flagship breakfast news programme in April, replacing Noel Thompson and Karen Patterson.

Born in Northampton, Sarah Brett moved to Donegal when she was four. She studied journalism at the North West Regional College, Londonderry, before writing for newspapers including the Sunday Tribune, The Irish News and The Belfast Telegraph.

Sarah joined BBC Radio Foyle in the 2004 as a reporter before going on to present the station’s award-winning breakfast programme with Enda McClafferty. Since 2014 she has presented a wide range of programmes on Radio 5 Live.

She said: “I’m delighted about coming home for so many reasons, but to come back into a programme that’s the soundtrack to so many people’s mornings is a real honour.

“We’re at the epicentre of huge political and social change in Europe, the UK and the island of Ireland, but there’s so much happening on a local level too that’s just as important.”

Chris Buckler grew up in Helen’s Bay and as a law student at Queen’s he reported for Belfast Community Radio before going on to produce Stephen Nolan’s evening programme when the station became Belfast Citybeat.

He also worked for the Belfast Telegraph before joining the BBC in 1999 as a news trainee. In 2008 he joined BBC network news as North of England correspondent and later UK affairs correspondent. He returned to Belfast as Ireland correspondent in 2013 before heading to Washington two years ago to report on the Trump administration and stories across America.

Chris said: “Having covered two very busy years of Donald Trump’s presidency it was a difficult decision to leave the US ahead of this year’s election, but the opportunity to come home and be a part of BBC Northern Ireland’s flagship news programme was too much to turn down.

“I’ve spoken to Sarah many times from Washington on BBC Radio 5 Live and I can’t wait to sit alongside her in the studio in Belfast.

“We intend to make the programme a must-listen in the mornings and with ministers back in Stormont it is a great time to be relaunching the show.

“There may be some changes but you can rest assured that we’ll continue to investigate the big stories and ensure people are held to account.”