Big Breakfast 'not over'

Sacked Tonkinson (c): one of the show's many hosts

Channel 4 boss Michael Jackson has given his support to his station's ailing morning show The Big Breakfast.

Chief executive Jackson declared there was "life in the old dog yet" in an online chat with viewers to the Guardian's website.

The show's future has looked increasingly in doubt for some time with falling ratings and changes in the line-up of presenters.

Michael Jackson: Still optimistic

But Jackson told the Media Guardian that the show still had his backing and plenty of fans.

"The Big Breakfast is a very important show for us, it is also a unique show," he said.

"There is life in the old dog yet and it still does pretty well amongst 16- to 24-year-olds."

Presenter Paul Tonkinson - one of a team of four - was sacked at the beginning of April, having been signed in February.

It followed the departure of popular longstanding hosts Johnny Vaughan and Denise Van Outen.

Hey-day

Other presenters including Kelly Brook, Sharron Davies and Mark Little have come and gone.

But none has managed to revive the show's 90s hey-day, when it was hosted by Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin.

Jackson conceded that The Big Breakfast had suffered problems but added there was still a place for its humour and style in the morning.

"Over its relatively long life it has had its ups and downs as presenters have come and gone," he said.

But he added: "The intrinsic idea is a good one and we and the production team are working hard to make it as good as it possibly can be."