BBC Breakfast hosts in laughing fit as presenter Jon Kay is mistaken for royal butler

A doppelganger of the BBC news anchor made a surprise appearance during King Charles’s speech in France

BBC Breakfast’s hosts were seen cracking up during a recent broadcast, as they laughed at the striking resemblance between presenter Jon Kay and a butler at a state banquet.

On Monday (25 September), co-anchors Sally Nugent and Kay discussed footage of King Charles speaking at a state banquet, held in his and Queen Camilla’s honour, in Versailles last week.

The King and Queen met with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, during their state visit in an attempt to rebuild bridges between the two nations after Brexit.

In a clip showing the King addressing the audience in French, a member of the wait staff is seen taking drinks and attending to the crowd.

The butler looks very similar to Kay, leading to the host’s friends as well as viewers getting in touch to point out the similarity.

“Jon Kay! At the [Versailles] Palace! With the King!” Nugent said in between laughs, as a video played of the butler at work.

“I’ve had the weirdest weekend since this went out,” Kay admitted, before adding: “I mean, it really does look like me doesn’t it... It’s freaky!”

As Nugent attempted to explain the scenario to the viewers, she and Kay broke out into giggles as footage of the lookalike waiter played on screen.

“Doesn’t just look like me, nicks other people’s drinks like me!” said Kay, to which Nugent added: “He even moves like you!”

Jon Kay and his lookalike royal butler (BBC)

Kay had apparently received “loads of messages from people” over the weekend, asking whether he’d seen the video. When Nugent asked whether he was sure he didn’t take a secret trip to the French capital, Kay confirmed that it was not him on screen.

“I promise it wasn’t me, although some people thought it was some kind of green screen special effect. It wasn’t me, I promise.”

Jon Kay and Sally Nugent (BBC)

During the speech on Wednesday 20 September, the King honoured his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, and recalled her close ties to France.

Charles also mentioned the importance of Britain working with France to tackle climate change, and pointed out the similarities between the countries.

“As neighbours, we have long been fascinated by one another, and our cultural heritage derives more from one another than we might realise,” he explained.

“The first restaurants in Paris, for instance, were modelled on British taverns, and as it happens one of the most famous was called La Grande Taverne de Londres… which would be a greater source of pride if it were not that their success was based on French food, French wine and French chefs!”

The King ended his speech by telling Macron: “Mr President, in all of this we can rely on our firm friendship. Whatever lies ahead, may it endure, faithful and constant, for centuries to come.”