Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley are reportedly the new faces of This Morning.
It’s believed the GMB host and 90s TV legend have been chosen by ITV bosses to replace Holly and Phillip Schofield following their shock exits earlier this year. Since their depature, the show has brought in a revolving lot of presenters to host the show.
The likes of Ben, Cat and fan-favourite Rylan Clark have all fronted the programme. Former Big Brother host Emma Willis also made a return last week and on Thursday (December 14) Lisa Snowden turned her hand to hosting.
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But now it’s been claimed it is Ben and Cat who have caught the eyes of bosses and are said to be the new hosts of the show. A source told 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.”
The source also claimed how Cat is the “number one target to replace Holly” – but the insider said that “negotiations are ongoing.” They added: “Lots of people were considered, but ultimately it’s all about chemistry.”
The publication also reports that Ben and Cat’s fee for the show is said to be around £550,000 each. This would make it £150,000 less than Holly and Phil’s hefty sum.
The news of Ben and Cat joining This Morning will come as a delight to the show’s fans. When both of them presented, viewers were left gushing over them.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, one person said: “Cat Deeley is brilliant!” A second fan chimed in and penned: “Cat should be permanent host of This Morning. It comes naturally to her.”
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Gushing about Ben when he appeared on This Morning, one fan wrote: “Ben is great on this. Can we keep him?” Someone else at the time wrote: “Ben Shephard should be made permanent I think he was so good when he was on.”
Meanwhile it appears bosses have snubbed Rylan, who has recently stepped in to front the ITV show. He appeared on screens last week, alongside Emma Willis.
Daily Star reached out to ITV for comment.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk