[citation needed] Stayt started his career on a commercial radio station in his home town of Gloucester.
[citation needed] Stayt began his TV career working for ITN in 1995, then joined Five News as a reporter before presenting the network's prime-time bulletins and half-hour live debate programmes.
He anchored Five News' coverage of the Millennium celebrations and the events of 11 September 2001 and spent a total of ten years at ITN, both as a correspondent and a presenter.
In addition to Thursday - Saturday duties, Stayt also stood in on occasion for main Monday - Wednesday presenter Bill Turnbull and subsequently Dan Walker, [citation needed] but this arrangement ceased when Jon Kay replaced Walker as main Monday - Wednesday presenter in May 2022.
[citation needed] In August 2016, Stayt appeared in Dictionary Corner on Channel 4's Countdown for a number of episodes.