Viewers of Good Morning Britain were met with an unexpected presenting duo on Monday morning when Richard Madeley was abruptly replaced due to illness.
An Unexpected Substitution
Opening the 6am show, regular host Susanna Reid explained the sudden change to the audience. She announced that Richard Madeley was 'a little bit poorly' and sent her well wishes, confirming he was watching from home.
Stepping into the vacant hot seat was Paul Brand, the UK editor for ITV News. While familiar to viewers from his political analysis segments on the programme and his role on ITV News At Ten, this marked his debut as a main presenter on the breakfast show.
Brand immediately lightened the mood with a touch of humour, stating, 'Good morning, yes get well soon Richard and come and help me out because I don't know what I'm doing.' He added a further note of novelty, revealing, 'I've never sat next to you [Susanna] before either, so fresh territory for me that’s for sure.'
A Warm Welcome and Friendly Banter
The on-air chemistry between the two was palpable, filled with friendly jokes. Susanna quipped about Paul's likely reaction to the last-minute call, suggesting he thought, 'What fresh hell is this.'
Paul gratefully acknowledged Susanna's warm welcome, revealing, 'You've been very nice to me this morning thank you, gave me a hug when you arrived, I already feel settled in.' Susanna, in turn, highlighted the special nature of this gesture, noting, 'Not everyone gets a hug on this programme.'
The pair later shared a smiling selfie on their social media channels, with Paul Brand promoting his temporary role with the caption: 'Back on @gmb tomorrow and Tuesday, 6-9am. Not short of news!! See you then. #Monday #Tuesday #gmb.'
Viewer Reaction and Context
The surprise hosting appearance was met with widespread delight from fans on social media platform X. One viewer enthusiastically wrote, 'Brilliant love Paul Brand a proper journalist.' Another commented, 'Love Paul. He should present GMB more often,' while a third expressed their joy at 'the gorgeous @PaulBrandITV with @susannareid100.'
Richard Madeley's brief absence follows a recent on-air discussion where he and Susanna Reid clashed over the ongoing scandal at the BBC. This involved the resignation of director general Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness, who stepped down amid an impartiality row. The controversy stemmed from an internal report accusing the BBC of bias and censorship, including the doctoring of a speech by former US President Donald Trump.
During that debate, Susanna Reid, a former BBC employee, defended the broader institution, while Madeley emphasised the seriousness of the allegations. Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am to 9am on ITV1 and ITVX.
