Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s This Morning replacements ‘chosen by ITV bosses’-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby’s replacements have reportedly been chosen (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

This Morning bosses have reportedly made a decision on who will be stepping in as permanent replacements for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

The likes of Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary, Rylan Clark and Josie Gibson have been filling in for the two former hosts after they both left their roles within months of each other.

After rumours that he and Holly were ‘barely speaking’ behind the scenes and that their relationship had cooled, Schofield, 61, announced his exit from the daytime programme after more than 20 years.

He sensationally resigned from ITV in full after admitting his ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger employee on This Morning.

Meanwhile, Holly, 42, quit This Morning in October after 14 years, saying that it was ‘a difficult goodbye’, prompting an outpouring of support from her former co-stars.

It’s now been claimed ITV have chosen their replacements, with a source saying: ‘Lots of people were considered. Ultimately it’s about chemistry.’

The new hosts stepping in are said to be Good Morning Britain’s Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley – who previously called her stint on This Morning ‘a one-off’.

‘He’s purer than pure.’ (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Cat Deeley is said to be ‘the number one target’ to replace Holly (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

An insider added to The Sun: ‘This is one of the most coveted gigs in UK television. ITV execs are determined to get it right.

‘Cat really impressed when she came in, and Ben is a consummate professional and hugely popular with the housewife demographic.

‘He’s an extremely safe pair of hands, has real gravitas, and doesn’t have a whiff of scandal around him — he’s purer than pure.’

The source added that while Cat is ‘the number one target’ to replace Holly, negotiations are still ‘ongoing’.

Holly and Schofield quit their roles within months of each other (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘Everyone is very excited, and the sense is that Ben and Cat will be a real boost to morale on the ground.’

It’s also claimed that the duo will be paid around £550,000 each, with a relaunch reported to have been pushed back to late January or even February.

Meanwhile, it has yet to be confirmed whether Holly will be returning for Dancing On Ice, with the host yet to be announced, despite the full line-up already having been revealed and the launch show just weeks away.

A source previously claimed she’s ‘in a right state’ over the decision, adding: ‘With what Holly has been faced with in the past few months, that is a hard commitment to make. She’s worried, she’s terrified and it is absolutely awful for her.’

Metro.co.uk has approached ITV, reps for Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley for comment.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.

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