Entertainment
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s permanent This Morning replacements ‘finally revealed’-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro
After months of speculation.
Holly and Phil’s replacements have reportedly been confirmed (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s permanent replacements on This Morning have reportedly been confirmed, after months of speculation.
A roster of presenters including Josie Gibson, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond have been filling in since both Holly, 42, and Schofield, 61, quit the daytime programme within weeks of eachother.
Holly, who has now returned to ITV as a presenter on Dancing On Ice, quit This Morning in October after 14 years, saying that it was ‘a difficult goodbye.
Schofield meanwhile resigned from ITV in full in May after admitting his ‘unwise but not illegal affair’.
He’s since remained outside of the spotlight, and has only been photographed on a handful of occasions since last spring, though it’s rumoured he’ll be taking part in Celebrity Big Brother this March.
While their permanent replacements have yet to be officially announced, with previous reports stating that ITV staff were ‘livid’ over the delay, a source has now claimed that Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard will be filling in the roles.
Cat Deeley is said to be one of the new hosts (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Ben Shephard will also be part of the ‘dream team’ (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
A source said: ‘The cat’s out of the bag – they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March.
‘Obviously Ben is well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa.
‘Cat is also a very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids’ TV, although she’s been over in the US for a long time.’
The insider added to The Mirror: ‘People were very impressed with her guest presenting stint last year alongside Rylan and thankfully the timing has all come together. Everyone is delighted.’
This comes after reports that Cat had turned down an offer to replace Holly, after she called her stint on This Morning ‘a one-off’.
Cat previously called her guest presenting role ‘a one-off’ (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Reflecting on her This Morning hosting debut, she told Closer in December: ‘It was so much fun, but it was only really a one-off.’
Meanwhile, shortly after Holly’s exit, it was claimed Ben was being eyed up alongside his Good Morning Britain co-star Kate Garraway, who has now stepped back from her presenting duties after the death of her husband Derek Draper.
As a permanent host for This Morning has yet to be announced, staff have reportedly been left ‘in limbo’.
This Morning staff are said to be ‘livid’ at the delay in new hosts being announced (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
A source had earlier claimed some were ‘livid’, saying: ‘All anyone can talk about behind the scenes is who the next team on the sofa will be.
‘It’s not just the talent either – there’s widespread frustration at the lack of a decision, and some are really livid.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to ITV, reps for Ben Shephard and reps for Cat Deeley for comment.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
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