ITV has announced that Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard will become the permanent hosts of daytime show This Morning. The pair replace Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who left the programme in May and October 2023 respectively.
Schofield departed after a reported rift with Willoughby, and later admitted lying about an affair with a younger colleague. Deeley and Shephard were among the guest hosts who have filled in during the interim.
Shephard described it as 'a very special moment' to join the show permanently, while Deeley called This Morning 'a national institution'. Shephard, who currently co-presents Good Morning Britain on Thursdays and Fridays, said he looked forward to 'welcoming the viewers home after the school run' with Deeley.
Deeley rose to fame hosting SMTV with Ant & Dec and was nominated for an Emmy for So You Think You Can Dance? in the US. Shephard also hosts game show Tipping Point.
Other recent guest presenters have included Alison Hammond, Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle, Emma Willis, Christine Lampard, Rylan Clark and Dermot O'Leary. Hammond said she was 'so excited' about the news, while O'Leary wrote 'Huzzah! Welcome to the fam.'
Schofield's departure sparked a crisis for the show, with allegations of a 'toxic culture' from former contributors, though ITV's chief executive disputed the claims. In September 2023, This Morning failed to win an audience-voted National Television Award for the first time in 13 years.
