Other Today guest editors over the festive season have included HSBC chairman Sir John Bond, broadcaster AnnaFord and Steve 'Chandrasonic' Savale, from the band Asian Dub Foundation.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s news bulletins on BBC One fronted by the likes of Richard Baker, Angela Rippon, AnnaFord, Moira Stuart, Peter Sissons and Martyn Lewis attracted audiences of up to 10 million people.
Breakfast Time trumped the rival ITV offering in the early ratings battle, which led to a cull of employees at TV-am including Peter Jay, AnnaFord and Angela Rippon in favour of "people-next-door" Anne Diamond and Nick Owen.