This Morning faces major overhaul after ITV boss quits in 'end of an era' (2024)

This Morning is set to undergo a ‘major overhaul’ next year following the exit of editor Martin Frizell.

After a decade at ITV, it was announced yesterday Martin would be leaving the broadcaster as he ‘expects his family priorities to change’ in 2015.

Martin, whose wife Fiona Phillips was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2022, first joined ITV in 2014 as an editor for Loose Women before taking over at the flagship breakfast programme.

His replacement is yet to be announced however it’s now being reported the show – which is now hosted by Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley – could be facing a ‘shake-up’ in the presenting line-up.

It comes after long-time hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby left the show last year, with a source saying this was ‘really the end of an era for daytime telly’ and that ‘huge changes’ were afoot.

‘The show has never truly recovered from Holly and Phil’s departure, and this is a chance to move on from the old guard and bring in fresh faces to detoxify the brand once and for all,’ they said.

‘Whilst Cat and Ben are hugely talented and accomplished broadcasters, the reality is their chemistry simply hasn’t replicated that of Holly and Phillip in their prime.

‘The hope is that a few tweaks here and there can make a huge difference – with presenters added to the roster, and a few exciting new features,’ the source added when speaking to The Sun.

They went on to claim that Martin was ‘mercurial and merciless when he was angry’ and some of his staff were ‘pretty scared’ of him.

However, they added he was also ‘hugely talented, hands-on, hard-working, and dedicated to the running of that ship’.

Although ITV is expected to externally advertise the role, which comes with a pay day of £155,000, current Associate Editor Vivek Sharma is ‘heavily tipped to land the coveted gig’.

The publication reported that Vivek is a ‘shoo-in’ and was exactly what was needed to ‘freshen up and engage’ the long-running series with younger generations.

The editor previously produced Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 and Piers Morgan’s Uncensored.

When announcing his resignation yesterday Martin said he ‘wouldn’t be able’ to balance the demands of his job with his family commitments.

‘I love my team at ITV and will miss them, and the thrill of live telly, but it’s an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment, and I won’t be able to do both,’ he wrote.

Describing the past decade as a ‘privilege’, Martin said the show was the ‘toughest test’ for anyone working in the media, but that he was ‘most proud of the change we made to so many lives’ with a series of campaigns over the years.

Although This Morning – which first aired 1988 – has a strong and loyal following, it’s struggled in the past year following the fall out of Phillip admitting to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger colleague and Holly leaving the show a few months after him.

As ratings tumbled, the series also faced being snubbed in major awards, missing out on the Best Daytime category at the National Television Awards the past two years.

Last year the show also faced allegations of fostering a ‘toxic environment’, as claimed by former presenters including Eamonn Holmes and guests.

However, after an external review, it was cleared of the claims with the findings concluding there was not a ‘toxic’ culture.

Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1.

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