This Morning fans believe ITV executives squandered a significant chance with Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard’s big debut.
The new presenting team have taken over the daytime TV show after Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby stepped down last year.
They made their debut appearance as co-stars today, ushering in a new era for This Morning, but many are not pleased.
Many people have asked why the opening credits at the start of the show, which formerly featured Holly and Phil, remained unchanged.
The sequence did feature a message flashing up saying ‘Welcome Ben and Cat!’, but the pair weren’t actually shown in the opening.
Many viewers had certainly hoped for an update to usher in a new era for the programme.
One disappointed fan wrote on X: ‘#ThisMorning.. same old set, theme tune, graphics and segments. Even same opening titles – couldn’t even be bothered to add Ben and Cat in like the old previous hosts.’
‘Not permanent enough to add them to the opening titles then? ITV still hesitant to commit. #ThisMorning,’ asked another viewer, while a third person tweeted: ‘This was ITVs chance to rejuvenate the program and move on from the past – and they missed it.’
Someone else wrote: ‘#ThisMorning – Ben & Cat will be great but the sadness that there’s no set [change] is strong – always my fave bits of a relaunch, new studio sets.’
A different viewer insisted ITV ‘could have started the NEW @thismorning 100 times better than this’, describing it as ‘awful and such a shame’.
While yet another person added: ‘All new this morning but the titles and set remain the same? Surely this was a great time to make things look fresh #ThisMorning.’
The show got underway in a bit of a low key way, with Ben simply saying: ‘Welcome to a brand new week on This Morning.’
‘We are so excited to be here! This show’s been a big part of our lives for so long,’ Cat added, as her co-host admitted it was ‘special’.
‘We’re thrilled to be here,’ he said. ‘Everyone’s been so kind.’
They did receive a humorous greeting from Ant and Dec, who notably collaborated with Cat on SMTV Live in the past.
‘Cat, Ben good luck,’ Ant said in a message shot in the Saturday Night Takeaway studio, as Dec added: ‘Have the best time, you’re gonna be amazing, we can’t wait to watch!’
‘A little bit, a word of advice for Ben about Cat,’ Ant continued. ‘Because we worked with Cat. She by all sweetness and light, but that girl can party, don’t think she can’t!’
Dec quipped: ‘Keep a lock on the drinks cabinet!’
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1.
Source My Celebrity Life.