Alex Jones has paid tribute to her co-host Matt Baker following his decision to leave The One Show. Alex, who is currently on maternity leave, took to Twitter on Thursday morning to share her sorrow at Matt's decision. The 42-year-old wrote: "I would like to say how much I will miss #MattBaker. Thank you for sitting by my side for the last 9 years. You are a superb broadcaster, a consummate professional and a dear friend. We'll remain part of each other's lives but the gap left on the green sofa will be hard to fill." She later shared a touching post on Instagram. "It's been a joy and a privilege to share the green sofa with you @mattbakerofficial over the last 9 years," she wrote. "It's flown by and I'll always treasure the time that we've had together. You are a consummate professional, a terrific broadcaster, a great friend and I'll miss you and your little quirks immensely come the Spring. It's not over yet though. We'll both be back come January to wish everybody a Happy New Year."
Matt stunned fans of The One Show when he confirmed he would be leaving the BBC programme during Wednesday's episode. The 41-year-old became visibly emotional as he explained the reasons behind his decision, revealing that he was most excited about "spending evenings with my wife Nicola, and finally getting to put my kids to bed". Appearing alongside one of his co-hosts Angellica Bell, Matt told viewers: "At this time of year, I like to take stock and reflect. The One Show has been a massive part of my life for almost a decade now and I have loved every second of being a part of it. But I am going to be leaving this green sofa in the spring."
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He continued: "Of course I'd like to thank Alex, who I've shared this sofa with for all these years. And the teams of people who work on this show all around the UK, the ones who you do not get to see; the researchers, the producers, the studio crew, everyone that makes this show feel like a massive family. And I'm going to miss you all very much indeed. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart."
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