BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent halts show to share breaking news on Pope Francis

BBC Breakfast star Sally Nugent paused Wednesday's (April 23) live show to share a breaking news update on Pope Francis, following his death aged 88.

The Vatican confirmed that the Pope died on Monday morning after he suffered a stroke and irreversible heart failure. His funeral will take place at 10am on Saturday.

During today's edition of the hit BBC news programme, host Sally explained that they had received live images of the Pope's coffin being moved to St Peter's Basilica for public mourning.

"We are going to bring you some live images being sent to us from Vatican City because we are just starting to see the beginnings of the formal process of the several days leading up to the funeral," she explained.

"This is live from Vatican City this morning as we were expecting the body of Pope Francis to be moved from the chapel where it has been overnight," Sally added, before handing over to her colleague Sarah Rainsford, who was reporting live from Rome.

"These are rituals and proceedings that have been set in place over centuries of Catholic practice," Sarah explained.

"The pictures you can see are coming from where the Pope used to live, the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, which is in the Vatican City. There is a liturgy there, prayers from one of the Cardinals who's leading dozens of other Cardinals who have gathered in the chapel to remember the Pope."

The Pope's body was then moved from the chapel and began its journey to St Peter's Basilica. He was carried by pole bearers and escorted by the Swiss guard, as he was in life.

Bells continued to ring out, with Psalm 115 also being sung by an assembled choir.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, was seen leading prayers before the Pope's coffin was moved. Before he started the prayer, he blessed the Pope's body with holy water.

The Vatican published the prayer ahead of today's service, which read: "Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, we now accompany the mortal remains of our Pope Francis to the Vatican Basilica.

"As we now leave his home, let us thank the Lord for the countless gifts that he bestowed on the Christian people through his servant, Pope Francis."

It concluded: "Let us ask him, in his mercy and kindness, to grant the late Pope an eternal home in the kingdom of heaven, and to comfort with celestial hope the papal family, the Church in Rome and the faithful throughout the world."

BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am