Rachel Riley 'in line to replace Susanna Reid' on BBC Breakfast

The Countdown number-cruncher could become the new face of the BBC's flagship morning show

Rachel Riley, who is rumoured to be one of the possible candidates to replace Susanna Reid on the BBC Breakfast sofa (Getty)

Countdown presenter Rachel Riley could be replacing Susanna Reid on BBC Breakfast, according to reports.

A BBC insider told The Mirror that Riley could be the new face of the flagship morning show alongside veteran presenter Bill Turnbull.

A source said “Rachel ticks a lot of boxes and is at that stage in her career where she might be ready to try something new.

“After losing Susanna, the BBC know they have to hit back and ensure they can cling on to viewers.”

BBC bosses are said to have been impressed by Riley, who graduated from Oxford University with a maths degree and presents Channel 4’s tea-time favourite Countdown and The Gadget Show on Channel 5.

It was announced earlier this month that Reid was leaving BBC Breakfast to join Ben Shephard, Charlotte Hawkins and Sean Fletcher on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, a new morning show set to replace the ailing Daybreak.

Reid has been a regular presenter on BBC Breakfast since 2003 and a mainstay on the show after Sian Williams left in 2012.

Susanna Reid will be one of the main presenters on Good Morning Britain (Getty)

She has attracted criticism in the past for flirting during an interview with actor Hugh Grant and wearing revealing clothing. Reid responded to the complaints by saying: ‘'I'm always sorry when people don't like what we do, but I have come to accept that you can't please all the people all of the time”.

Last year Reid took part in Strictly Come Dancing, where she was ironically up against Riley, who was another contestant on the eleventh series on the show.

Riley is not the only one in the running for the Breakfast couch, BBC presenter Louise Minchin and Channel 5’s Emma Crosby, who used to present GMTV, are said to be potential candidates.