Good Morning Britain viewers were met with an unexpected change on Thursday's show as regular host Ben Shephard vanished from the studio mid-broadcast without explanation.
Co-presenter Charlotte Hawkins was left to address the curious absence, telling audiences: "Some of you might be wondering where Ben has got to. He was here earlier but he's disappeared!" The sudden departure occurred during the 6am to 9am slot that Shephard typically hosts alongside Susanna Reid.
The mystery deepened as the show continued without one of its main anchors, leaving social media buzzing with speculation about the popular presenter's whereabouts. Fans immediately took to Twitter expressing concern, with one writing: "Where's Ben? #GMB" while another added: "Hope Ben is okay!"
This isn't the first time Shephard has been unexpectedly absent from the ITV morning show. Earlier this year, he missed several episodes after testing positive for COVID-19, though his co-hosts maintained regular updates about his condition during that period.
The nature of Thursday's disappearance remains unclear, with ITV yet to release an official statement regarding Shephard's abrupt exit from the studio. The show continued with Hawkins and Reid anchoring the remainder of the broadcast.
Shephard, who has been a fixture on Good Morning Britain since 2014, is known for his professional consistency, making his unexplained absence particularly notable for regular viewers of the programme.
