This Morning announcedBen ShephardandCat Deeleyare to join the ITV daytime show as the new official presenters.
From next month the pair will be presenting Monday to Thursday, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary continuing with their Friday duties.
The news was released with a promo posted on This Morning’s social media accounts. In the short video, Ben walks down the production corridor and places a new photo of Cat on the wall. He then turns to the camera as the photo comes to life – with Cat giving viewers one of her signature winks.
Ben, 49, is best known for presenting the ITV show – Good Morning Britain – and has called his new job at This Morning ‘an honour’.
‘This really feels like a very special moment for Cat and I to be part of the next chapter of This Morning. It’s an honour to be trusted with the reigns, join Alison and Dermot and all the team that work on and off screen and do such a great job,’ he shared.
‘For the last ten years, I’ve been waking up with our ITV daytime audience on GMB and I now look forward to spending time with Cat, welcoming the viewers home after the school run or from their early morning routines, with a cup of tea and a mix of everything that makes This Morning so loved.’
The new opportunity means saying goodbye to GMB after a decade.
Taking to social media with a picture alongside his GMB co-stars, Ben wrote in his caption: ‘Ten years has flown by at GMB. I’ve loved every minute, (well not those minutes immediately after the alarm goes off at 3.30am 😳😩) but all the others have been incredible.
‘As have these amazing women I’ve been lucky enough to sit alongside, work with, laugh with and on the odd occasions drink with!’
He added: ‘I will miss working with them and the whole team – and I’m very grateful that they are just next door so that whenever I get nostalgic I know they aren’t too far away.’
‘This Morning is a national institution. Whenever it’s on, it’s like having your friends over – funny, smart, silly, heartfelt, informative and joyful – like all the greatest friendships’ added Cat, 47 in the official statement.
‘This Morning is and always will be the viewer’s show. Ben and I both know how much people love it, and with the help of an amazing team of people, we’re going to do our best to take care of it.’
Alison, 49, told her new colleagues she was ‘so excited’, and Dermot, 50, was equally as supportive and typed: ‘Welcome to the fam’ on the Instagram post.
They also addressed the new hires at the start of today’s This Morning. Dermot first said: ‘Welcome to your Friday’s This Morning and Ben and Cat…’ before the pair said in unison ‘Welcome to the family!’
Alison added: ‘We’re so, so happy! The news is finally out, it’s finally out.’
Dermot has a close connection to Ben, with the pair starting in the industry together: ‘You know the lovely thing, we know them well and obviously, I started out my career with Ben at T4.’
He has known Cat for ‘so long’ too, and Alison is also fond of her fellow Brummie whom she met in Los Angeles four years ago. Cat has spent a lot of time in the States, as she has presented So You Think You Can Dance since 2005 and has been nominated for five Emmys. The former Stars in Their Eyes and SMTV Live host now lives in London with her husband Patrick Kieltyand their two children.
‘Cat is just the dream,’ Alison remarked before adding that they ‘never separated’.
‘Ben and Cat, this is going to be great isn’t it,’ concluded Alison with Dermot firmly in agreement: ‘It’s going to be nice isn’t it.’
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Many other This Morning regulars took the opportunity to congratulate them.
Somebody order the champagne as Josie Gibson commented: ‘I feel a work welcome party coming on!!!!!’
She should see Craig Doyle at the bar as he wrote: ‘Congratulations guys….did someone say drinks!?!?!’
Gok can provide the music at the bash as he typed: ‘Welcome aboard! ❤️ shall I fire up the decks?’ and Rochelle can be a hype woman as she simply wrote: ‘Eeekkkkkk’.
Friends have also rushed to celebrate. ‘Congratulations to my bestest ever ever friend Catherine Noddy Slade Deeley,’ said Louise Redknapp.
Zoe Ball added: ‘LOVE. congrats to you and Cat what a double act.’
Cat and Ben are replacing Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield who left the show in 2023.
This Morning’s Editor,Martin Frizell, is looking forward to the new chapter on the programme.
‘The team and I have relished the opportunity to try new things these past few months and remind viewers what a massively talented team both on and off screen we have here at This Morning. We can’t wait to welcome Ben and Cat fully into the fold next month and witness the start of another exciting chapter in the show’s 35-year journey,’ he wrote in a statement.
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Schofield, 61, presented his last show in May after more than 20 years at the helm. A week after his departure he revealed he was leaving the broadcaster altogether afteradmitting to lying about an affairwith a young colleague.
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In October, Holly, 43, also left the series. Following analleged plot to kidnap and murder, she released a statement thatsaid it was a ‘difficult goodbye’but she had to ‘make this decision for me and family’.
For the past few months, a variety of hosts, including Siân Welby and Rylan Clark, have stepped in to bridge the gap before the permanent hosts were decided.
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This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
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