SUNDAY Brunch viewers were left saddened as the daytime show was a man down, with one presenter unwell and off air.
The Channel 4 Sunday morning show aired but without Simon Rimmer to host, leaving Tim Lovejoy to present alone.
At the beginning of the show as it aired at 10am, Tim addressed his missing co-star as he explained where Simon was.
He revealed the famed chef was unwell as he said: “Sadly, Simon Rimmer is a bit ill today. He’s got a bit of a dodgy tummy.”
The 56-year-old presenter then joked while making a drinking gesture as he continued: “So he says, I mean, he saw him out last night, you know, last night.”
Despite being a man down, Tim carried on with the daytime show alongside guests Ella Maisy Purvis, Gwilym Lee, Lou Sanders, Carrie Hope Fletcher and Dr Rangan Chatterjee.
The show also featured live music from Franz Ferdinand.
In place of Simon, who usually does most of the cooking and food prep on the show, the TV show saw chef James Golding step into his shoes.
Throughout the show Tim referred to his missing presenting partner as he clarified that his star would hopefully return the following week.
Fans of the show turned to social media to share get well messages for Simon as one wrote: “Aww get well soon Simon.”
Another shared: “Hope Simon is well enough to watch the football today.”
Others joked that the Channel 4 show hadn’t managed to arrange a stand-in presenter, as one viewer asked: “Where’s Simon? Is there no fill-in presenter?”
Simon’s TV absence also comes as the chef has been confirmed to host his own radio programme on Global’s Gold Radio.
Alongside his presenting duties on Sunday mornings, Simon will now present a Saturday morning show with hits from the ’60s to the ’80s from 8am to 12pm.
Commenting on the news, Simon said: “To host my own radio show is a dream come true, and to do it on Gold Radio is the icing on the cake.”
Sunday Brunch airs weekly at 10am on Channel 4.
