This Morning has announced that Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley will join the ITV daily show.
Beginning next month, the two will host Monday through Thursday, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary maintaining their Friday responsibilities.
A trailer on This Morning’s social media channels showed Ben travelling down the same production hallway and placing a fresh photo of Cat on the wall. He then turns to face the camera as the image comes to life, with Cat giving viewers one of her trademark winks.
Ben, the 49-year-old host of Good Morning Britain, expressed his excitement to be a part of the upcoming season of This Morning. It’s an honour to be trusted with the reins, to join Alison and Dermot, and to the entire staff who works on and off screen and does such an excellent job.
‘For the previous 10 years, I’ve woken up with our ITV daytime audience on GMB, and I now look forward to spending time with Cat, greeting viewers home after the school run or from their early morning routines, with a cup of tea and a blend of everything that makes This Morning so popular.’
This Morning is a national institution. Whenever it’s on, it’s like having your pals over: hilarious, clever, goofy, sincere, instructive, and happy, just like all the best friendships. added Cat, 47.
‘This Morning is and always will be the viewer’s show. Ben and I both know how much people love it, and with the help of an amazing team of people, we’re going to do our best to take care of it.’
Alison expressed her excitement to her new coworkers, and Dermot reciprocated by typing, ‘Welcome to the fam.’
The duo replace Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, who departed the programme in 2023.
This Morning’s Editor, Martin Frizell, is looking forward to the new chapter on the programme.
‘The team and I have relished the opportunity to try new things these past few months and remind viewers what a massively talented team both on and off screen we have here at This Morning. We can’t wait to welcome Ben and Cat fully into the fold next month and witness the start of another exciting chapter in the show’s 35-year journey,’ he wrote in a statement.
Schofield, 61, gave his final performance in May after more than 20 years at the helm. After admitting to lying about a romance with a young coworker, he abruptly left the broadcaster a week later.
Do you believe Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard are good candidates as the new hosts of This MorningComment Now?
Holly, 43, departed the series in October as well.Following an alleged kidnapping and murder plot, she published a statement saying it was a ‘tough farewell’ but she had to’make this decision for me and my family’.
For the previous several months, a number of hosts, including Sian Welby and Rylan Clark, have stepped in to fill the void until the permanent hosts are determined.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
Source My Celebrity Life.