ITV Shuts Down Speculation About This Morning Host Shakeup
Amid intense speculation that ITV executives were eyeing a famous husband-wife duo to revitalize their flagship daytime program, the broadcaster has firmly denied any plans to replace current hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard on This Morning. Recent rumors suggested that Tess Daly and Vernon Kay were being lined up as successors, but ITV has now clarified the situation with an official statement.
The Rumors and Their Origins
Earlier reports had indicated that with Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard approaching the end of their contracts, network executives were "keen to move quickly" to secure a fresh presentation team. The speculation gained momentum after Tess Daly and Vernon Kay co-hosted The One Show together for the first time last month, with insiders suggesting their natural chemistry made them ideal candidates for the This Morning sofa.
"Executives have been sweet on Vernon for ages, but the pair's natural husband-and-wife banter made them realize exactly what This Morning has been missing," a source told The Sun. "They are obsessed with finding the next Richard and Judy, and Tess and Vernon have that exact same effortless magic."
ITV's Official Response
When contacted for comment, an ITV spokesperson delivered a clear message: "We are very happy with Cat, Ben, Alison Hammond, and Dermot O'Leary as This Morning's lead presenters, and there are no plans for that to change." The spokesperson emphasized the show's current success, noting that "2026 has got off to a great start for the show with viewing up year on year and a weekly reach of 3.7 million viewers."
Vernon Kay's representatives also addressed the rumors, with his spokeswoman telling Metro: "There's no truth to any rumors. Vernon is very happy and committed to his BBC Radio 2 show." Kay has become a firm favorite on the station since taking over the mid-morning show from Ken Bruce in May 2023 and has no intentions of abandoning his BBC Radio 2 listeners.
Context and Background
The rumors likely gained traction following Tess Daly's recent departure from Strictly Come Dancing, a show she fronted for over 20 years. In December, she and co-host Claudia Winkleman bowed out together, with speculation still circulating about who will take their place. Current frontrunners for the Strictly hosting role include Emma Willis, Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Alex Jones, and Bradley Walsh.
Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard became This Morning regulars in early 2024, taking over from Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. Former SMTV Live host Cat Deeley, 49, initially appeared as a guest presenter before taking on the job full-time, while Ben Shephard, 51, left his role at Good Morning Britain for this new chapter. Completing This Morning's presenter roster are Alison Hammond, 51, and Dermot O'Leary, 52. Alison joined the program in 2002, while she and Dermot were announced as Friday replacements for Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes in 2020.
ITV Daytime Restructuring
The ITV daytime landscape has undergone significant changes this year, with several beloved programs experiencing schedule adjustments. Last May, it was announced that from January 2026, Good Morning Britain would be extended by 30 minutes, now airing from 6am to 9:30am. As a result, Lorraine has been reduced to 30 minutes, finishing at 10am before This Morning begins. This Morning remains the only ITV daytime show unaffected by these scheduling cuts.
Loose Women now airs for only 30 weeks per year and no longer features a live audience. When Lorraine airs on a seasonal basis, Good Morning Britain will run for four hours, concluding at 10am. Additionally, Good Morning Britain has relocated to the ITN Studios in Central London, while all other daytime programs are filmed at The H Club in Covent Garden.
Strategic Vision for ITV Daytime
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, explained the strategic thinking behind these changes: "Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate, and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust."
Lygo added that the adjustments would generate savings "which will allow us to reinvest across the program budget in other genres" and help consolidate news operations while expanding national, international, and regional news output. "These changes allow us to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever," he stated.
This Morning continues to air weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX, with its current presenter lineup firmly in place despite recent speculation about potential changes.
