Ben Shephard Criticises This Morning Producers for Early Broadcast
Ben Shephard has taken a swipe at the producers of This Morning for forcing him and co-host Cat Deeley to appear on air 20 minutes early earlier this week, claiming it was to cover Good Morning Britain's butt after an unexpected studio evacuation. The incident occurred on Monday when a fire alarm disrupted the live broadcast of Good Morning Britain, leading to hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid not returning after an advert break around 9:40 am.
Chaotic Studio Evacuation Sparks On-Air Confusion
Instead of the usual Good Morning Britain segment, viewers were surprised to see Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley appear on screen without prior warning, as they had to hastily cover for their ITV co-stars. On Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain, Ed Balls made light of the situation during a video link to the This Morning studio, jokingly referencing the fire alarm. Susanna Reid, trying to hold back laughter, apologised and clarified that Ed was winding them up, but confirmed they were indeed live on air.
Ben Shephard responded sharply, stating, At least you've told us we're on air because the person who flicked us up on air, didn't tell us at all! Cat Deeley added, Not a clue! Ben further criticised, While we were covering your butts! Because you lot decided to have an early break. Ed Balls defended the evacuation, explaining they were following fire marshal instructions, but Cat retorted, Yeah, yeah. Tell someone who believes you.
Recalling Past Incidents and On-Air Banter
Ed Balls recounted the chaotic moment, noting that the gallery and director had to manage the live broadcast while ensuring safety. Ben Shephard then recalled a similar incident from his past work with Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain, mentioning a fire at the old building and questioning if there was a correlation. Susanna apologised and thanked Ben for taking over, highlighting the camaraderie among the hosts.
During the unexpected early broadcast on Monday, confusion reigned as Ben and Cat appeared on screen after the Good Morning Britain logo flashed. Cat giggled while adjusting her jumper, and Ben exclaimed, What are we doing?! The This Morning logo and opening credits soon followed, with Cat welcoming viewers and explaining the early start due to the evacuation. Ben added, This is all very exciting. As you can tell, we are 20 minutes early Cat Deeley!
Official Statements and Programme Continuation
A spokesperson for Good Morning Britain later issued a statement, apologising for the disruption and thanking the This Morning team for appearing early. Ben Shephard explained in the studio that the evacuation was due to an alarm, but everyone was safe. The show then proceeded with a special segment featuring Stephen from The Traitors, celebrating tweed fashion, before returning to its regular schedule at 10:00 am.
Good Morning Britain and This Morning air weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX, with this incident showcasing the unpredictable nature of live television and the quick thinking required from broadcast teams.
