Ben Shephard, the 51-year-old presenter who joined This Morning in 2024 alongside Cat Deeley, has reportedly adopted a more challenging interview style that is making some celebrities and their publicists nervous. Sources claim that the former Tipping Point host has begun asking unexpected, harder-hitting questions during interviews, deviating from pre-agreed topics.
An insider told The Sun: “It’s This Morning, not Newsnight. Over the last six months, Ben has started to randomly take questioning down a far harder line. Very often, editors have agreed with key guests to avoid personal topics and keep chat work-related. That’s how the show continues to book great guests the viewers want to watch. But Ben has started to throw in a controversial, newsy question or two, and it’s left PRs nervous about placing their clients on the show.”
An ITV spokesperson responded: “This isn't something we recognise on This Morning. Ben is very popular with guests and viewers alike and receives lots of positive feedback.” The Standard has also contacted Shephard’s representative for comment.
One notable example occurred during a recent interview with Stacey Solomon, who appeared to discuss her stint as a guest judge on Britain's Got Talent. Shephard brought up rumours about her marriage to Joe Swash, asking about her not wearing her wedding ring. Solomon deflected the question with humour, joking that she might have dropped the ring in a lake. The couple married in 2022 and have a blended family of six children.
